Seeing the Strings
by ThinkiePinkie
Summary: What exactly are a pianist, a martial artist, and an animal breeder supposed to create together? Kaede is partnered with two of her upperclassmen for a school project, but she struggles to find harmony among them. (AU with SaiMatsu and NeverNaka fluff)
1. Beyond the Basic

_**Chapter 1: Beyond the Basic**_

Akamatsu Kaede fidgeted with the hem of her jeans while she waited. She sat at a local diner, outside on the patio. Three menus sat atop the table, a large umbrella protruding from its center and shielding her from the looming summer sun. She began to tap the table's wooden surface with her fingers, pretending to play a classical tune as if on a piano.

Her waiter delivered the sweet iced tea she had ordered, and Kaede reassured him that the rest of her party would arrive shortly. She grabbed the glass and chugged half of it on the spot, feeling refreshed as the heat left her body. She continued to compose a melody upon the table planks as she scanned her surroundings for her group. None of whom passed by had business at the diner, as they neither slowed their pace nor stopped to look around.

Kaede sighed as she reached into her purple purse and pulled out her cell phone—a moderately sized pink device with a charm in the shape of a piano dangling off its side. Her intention was to check the time, but a surprise notification awaited her, the name "Saihara Shuichi" displayed on the screen. She unlocked her phone and read his text.

 _"So what's your first impression of your group?"_

A smile formed on her lips as she read the words. She glanced at the time, which read 2:12 PM, and began typing her reply.

 _"They're not here yet. 12 minutes late. I'm a nervous wreck."_

Kaede sent the message and placed her phone down on the table, continuing her scan for anyone who looked familiar. Though she hadn't directly interacted with her group yet, she had seen plenty of students walking around campus before, so she hoped to recognize whoever was supposed to show.

It was an afternoon in late July, a week after Hope's Peak Academy had let its students out for summer break. Kaede began her first term at the prestigious school a few months ago, entering its walls as the Ultimate Pianist. Despite still being a teenager, she had already made a name for herself with her musical talents, which led to her being scouted by Hope's Peak officials. She was excited to attend, and while her first term was certainly challenging, she did her best to make the most of it, learning new pieces to play and establishing friendships with her classmates.

However, the school's latest task had Kaede worried: a group project with her upperclassmen. She and her peers from Class 79 were each paired with one student from the 78th and 77th classes, and they needed to have a presentation ready for when the next term started. The parameters for the project were few, and it seemed like the school was giving them plenty of creative freedom, but since Kaede specialized as a solo pianist, working in a group was an unfamiliarity to her. They were to resume school in early September, so they had little more than a month to prepare.

Kaede took another sip of her tea as she waited yet still for her two partners. She knew nothing about them save for the brief details within the email the headmaster had sent her. The student from Class 78 was the Ultimate Martial Artist named Sakura, and from Class 77 was the Ultimate Breeder named Gundham. As soon as she had read what their talents were, her mind blanked as to what three people with such unrelated skills could possibly create together.

After a few more restless minutes of fidgeting and fake piano playing, Kaede noticed a woman and a man at the end of the street, walking together towards the diner. Their unconventional appearances would've grabbed anyone's attention. The woman was the tallest, most muscular person Kaede had ever seen. Her skin was deep red, and her hair was long, white, and jagged, jutting out every which way and resembling a witch. She wore a white sleeveless shirt that hugged her torso tightly, and a gray short skirt that certainly clashed with her less than feminine physique.

He, on the other hand, actually looked more bizarre. Despite the sweltering July heat, he was dressed in a black overcoat, black jeans, black boots, and had a purple scarf wrapped around his neck. What little she could see of his skin shone pale, almost glistening in the sunlight. Certainly he would be sunburnt in mere minutes, which was likely the reason for his heavy attire.

As Kaede had hoped, she recognized these two from campus, and she figured them for her partners. While the woman must've been the Ultimate Martial Artist as evidenced by her rippling body, there seemed to be nothing about the man that suggested he was the Ultimate Breeder. Even her own attire at least suggested her talent: a pink t-shirt depicting several piano keys along with the words, _"the keys to my heart"._

Kaede stood up and hesitantly waved at them, the slightest doubt lingering in her mind. There was still a chance that these were just two random students who happened to be passing by, and she didn't want to embarrass herself by flailing her arms at the wrong people. Luckily for her, the woman noticed her and waved back, prompting Kaede to sigh in relief. The man also looked in her direction, though he made no attempt at a gesture.

They both stepped through the opening in the fence that surrounded the patio and approached the table, and Kaede was able to see them in greater detail. The woman seemed even taller up close, easily surpassing six feet and being twice as wide as Kaede herself. Thick veins flowed underneath her skin, large scars covered her body, and her arms were so big that she could probably snap Kaede's comparatively tiny limbs in half with ease. She had a plain gray purse slung around her shoulder which, like her skirt, didn't seem to match her appearance.

The man had a lightning bolt-shaped scar over his left eye, and was wearing a heavy layer of eye shadow, all of which stuck out against his pale face. His most striking feature was his heterochromatic eyes, one a vivid red and the other a dull gray. His scowl was intense, showing no sign that a friendly interaction was under consideration in his mind.

Kaede struggled to find the words to greet these imposing figures. "U-uh, hi!" She spoke louder than she intended, and covered her lips with her hand. "A-are you, um, Sakura and G-Gundham?"

The woman smirked and let out a chuckle. "Yes, dear, I'm Ogami Sakura, the Ultimate Martial Artist." Her tone was deep and raspy. She extended her hand towards Kaede. "Pleased to meet you. You must be Kaede."

Hearing her own name spoken aloud by her upperclassman placed an uncomfortable spotlight on her, and she scrambled to respond. "O-oh yeah, I'm Akamatsu Kaede, Ultimate Pianist!" She attempted to grab Sakura's hand, but it was awkward given how much larger her's were, her fingers each being the width of a piano key. They shook, and Sakura was so forceful that Kaede's arm felt like a limp noodle. When the handshake finally ended, Kaede let her arm dangle lifelessly at her side, and she decided to turn her attention to the man. "And you must be Gundham?"

He crossed his arms and snickered, speaking in a hauntingly deep voice. "So you are the composer of melodies? Name for me your deadliest tune, and if it is worthy of being heard in the Underworld, then I shall grace you with my denomination."

Kaede stared dumbfoundedly at him. She waited for any sign from him that showed he was obviously joking. He must have been aware of how ridiculous that sounded.

But nothing happened. His expression remained serious. She saw Sakura frown and sigh, suggesting that she was familiar with the routine. Despite his odd word choices, Keade did feel she got the gist of what he said. "Well, uh, there's _'Clair de lune'_ by Claude Debussy. That's... one of my favorites?" She waited for his reaction.

His dual-toned eyes bore into her, his gaze bringing discomfort to the already nervous pianist. He then closed his eyes and appeared to grin underneath his scarf. "Indeed, a tune most suited for the servants of Hell. Very well, mortal, you have passed the test." Though he said that, Kaede was doubtful he'd actually heard the song before, and she probably could've named any piece for him. He opened his eyes and raised his hands to his chest. "Now, be thrilled that you are bearing witness to my revelation. My name carries great sway in my realm, so it is not to be used lightly. Listen closely, for I shall not repeat myself. I am Tanaka Gundham, the Forbidden One, the Overlord of Ice!"

She was struck dumbfounded again. She had no clue of how to process this. Kokichi would at least sport a goofy grin and admit to when he's behaving strangely, but this guy's expression never changed. It was no act. Was he like this all the time? This was definitely the most bizarre introduction she'd ever had with a person— _if_ he could be called a person. "I'm sorry, you're the over-what of what? I thought you were the Ultimate Breeder?"

Gundham scoffed and looked annoyed. "Yes, that is my title on this plane of existence, but it only applies to my temporary form. It fails to capture my true essence!"

Kaede didn't want to bother with further inquiry. "O-oh, well, it's nice to meet you… I guess." She extended her other hand towards him, the one that didn't yet feel like dead weight.

He stared at her outstretched hand, making no effort to reciprocate. "You'd best be careful, mortal. A fatal poison runs through my veins. If a being with low demonic energy such as yourself touches me, you shall not survive."

"Well, alright, then!" she said with haste, quickly retracting her hand. She was relieved that he refused, though, as she didn't want to risk losing her other arm to a hectic shake. She brushed her hair out of her face, the humidity causing it to cling to her skin.

Kaede took her seat back in the shade of the umbrella, and they both followed suit—Sakura sitting adjacent to her, resting her purse on the ground, and Gundham sitting opposite her. Her phone vibrated on the table, likely a response from Shuichi. However, she didn't want to appear rude upon meeting her upperclassmen, so she quickly deposited the device back into her purse.

She grabbed her iced tea and downed the rest of it, unsure of where to begin their conversation. Her confidence was low due to how her partners looked completely unapproachable right now, what with their motionless forms and stern faces. But their awkward introductions aside, Kaede felt it shouldn't be this hard for a group of Ultimates to talk with each other.

A thought finally came to mind just as she finished her tea. "Since you two showed up together, did you meetup beforehand?"

"No, Gundham and I happened to bump into each other around the corner," said Sakura. "I apologize for our delay. I hope you weren't waiting long."

"Oh, don't worry about it. It wasn't too long," Kaede lied. She was so anxious to meet them that she had actually arrived at the diner half an hour before their scheduled time. But now seeing them face-to-face, sitting before their physically imposing natures, made her half-wish that she had canceled the outing altogether.

Sakura must have picked up on this. "There's no need to be nervous, Kaede. I know we seem a bit abnormal, but I assure you we're just here for pleasantries. Isn't that right, Gundham?" He scoffed again.

Kaede's eyes widened and she held her hands up. "Oh, no, I wasn't—I mean, I didn't—!"

Sakura laughed softly. "Sorry, but your gaze betrayed you. It's a look I'm all too familiar with. I know it's uncommon to see a woman of my stature. You don't need to hide your surprise."

Kaede slumped her head, embarrassed at being called out. "I'm sorry. Normally I don't stare. I've actually seen you two around campus before. It seems really obvious in hindsight that you're the Ultimate Martial Artist, Sakura."

Sakura's smirk suggested she was no stranger to these types of comments. "I'll take that as a compliment. I've worked hard to maintain my physique, so if my talent is obvious, then it means I'm doing something right."

"Hmph, is there no mystery left in this world?" Gundham piped up suddenly. "You may be a warrior, but your lack of subtlety when it comes to your talent only makes you easier to read and to defeat."

"Uh, Gundham, are you challenging Sakura to a fight?" asked Kaede.

Gundham recoiled in his seat. "W-what?! O-of course not! A Dark Lord such as myself does not engage with quarrels among mortals!"

"Are you sure? It sounded like you were challenging me," Sakura teased. "Normally I don't attack people when provoked, but I suppose a Dark Lord from another dimension is no mere _person,_ right?"

"S-silence, fool! I was merely stating that the greatest of beings, myself included, are much more subtle."

While his talent may not be obvious at first glance, _subtle_ was still the last word Kaede would use to describe someone who looked like he auditioned to become the newest member of _KISS._

However, despite their less than friendly comments towards each other, Kaede noted an air of familiarity between them. "Um, so this is my first time meeting you two, but you seem to already know each other?"

Their eyes briefly met, a battlefield laid bare between them, before they looked away with a sharp twist of their necks. It seemed she was right, but not in the way she had hoped.

An awkward silence followed, and the three of them grabbed the menus off the table and perused them. Because Kaede had arrived early, she already knew what she wanted, but she pretended to consider the menu in order to avoid any further uncomfortable interactions. The only audible sounds over the next few minutes were the chatter from the nearby tables and the passing traffic.

Eventually, their waiter came to the table, and he froze in his tracks when he saw Sakura and Gundham. Her bulky body and his cold, brooding eyes really brought home how normal Kaede looked by comparison, being a petite girl with fair skin, blonde hair, of average height, and wearing appropriate summer attire. She noticed the waiter's eyes linger on Gundham the longest.

"Can I help you, mortal?" he said coldly.

The waiter gulped. "Oh! Just, uh… I'm surprised you're wearing a jacket and scarf when it's so hot out."

Gundham let out a hearty bellow. "Please, I am the Overlord of Ice! The sun pales in comparison to my greatness!"

The waiter looked to Kaede, who glanced down and hid her face. "O-okay, then. Are you guys ready to order?"

"Yes, two waters, and fast!" shouted Gundham.

Kaede sighed. "Gundham, just take off your jacket and scarf if you're hot."

"Foolish mortal! You dare to—"

"I'm ready to order!" Kaede cut him off, not wanting to hear another rant. "A refill of my tea, and a cheeseburger with fries, medium-well, please!"

The waiter wrote her order on his pad and turned to Sakura. "A-and you, ma'am?"

She spoke in a polite tone. "I would like a decaf coffee, the steak platter with a side of broccoli, and a small stack of pancakes. Thank you."

Kaede raised an eyebrow at her. To say it was an unusual order for a lunch outing was evident. Despite that, she found herself more curious about Gundham's order, specifically _how_ he would go about it. The waiter finally turned to him, becoming nervous once again.

"Bring me an ensemble of greenery worthy of the Roman emperor himself!"

He certainly didn't disappoint.

"Uh… do you mean a caesar salad?" asked the waiter.

"You're wiser than you appear, mortal. It seems you have a dark aura about you, though only enough to be a low-level demon."

"Th-thank you, uh, my lord?" He seemed unsure if his business was finished, so he looked around at everyone again. When no one said anything, he quickly scooped up their menus and hobbled off back into the diner.

"Well, that was an experience," said Kaede. "Gundham, you do know that the caesar salad isn't named after Julius Caesar, right? Also, he wasn't an emperor."

Gundham appeared to be caught off guard, and he hastily wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Of course I knew that! That was a test, and you passed."

"Riiiiiight," she replied, turning her focus to Sakura. "Can you explain your order to me? It's a bit unorthodox."

"Certainly, Kaede. I require a high caloric intake to maintain my physique. Steak and broccoli are high in protein, and the pancakes are…" She blushed. "Well, they're just really good."

"No argument there," Kaede said with a smile. She was feeling proud of herself for managing to fluster both of them so easily. It boosted her confidence after their less than stellar interactions so far. "It's cool that you're still thinking about your talent even when you're away from school. I was hoping I wasn't the only one."

"There's nothing wrong with taking your talent seriously wherever you are," said Sakura with a hint of pride.

"Thanks, Sakura. That means a lot to me." She then looked to Gundham. "You, though. I wasn't expecting you to order just a salad. It's not typical of men."

"Hmph, I am no mere _man,_ symphonist," said Gundham. "Performing the unexpected is exactly how I'm able to—"

"Gundham, will you please just get to the point?" interjected Sakura.

He glanced at her as if considering whether or not to be offended, then he sighed. "I'm a vegetarian. Animals are precious to me, so I don't consume them. Rest assured that I do not cast judgment on you for your dietary choices."

The sentiment brought no comfort to Kaede, as she was sure he cast judgment on others for a laundry list of other reasons. "Well, now that we're all here, should we talk about our group project?"

"Of course we will! The Gods decree it!" he declared with a slam of his fist upon the table, causing Kaede's empty glass to jump slightly. "The time for business is nigh!"

"Uh, yeah…" muttered Kaede. "So you two aren't new to Hope's Peak like I am. Have you had to do a project like this before?"

"Not until now," said Sakura. "But Gundham's been here the longest, so maybe he says differently."

Gundham leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Hmph, this is a first for me, too. We've been paired off for missions before, but it was always with members of our own sort, never a mix."

"Hmm, weird," mused Kaede. "I wonder why the school decided to do this."

"Perhaps they wanted to encourage greater interaction between the classes?" Sakura offered. "I'll admit that I'm fond of the idea. The curriculum mostly keeps us among our immediate peers. It's nice to branch out and meet others."

"Speak for yourself, mortal," scoffed Gundham. "This whole ordeal is a waste of time. There are few who are worthy to be in my presence, and a little excursion such as this will not easily increase that number."

Kaede was somewhat offended by this. "Wow, so we're not worthy, Gundham?"

He floundered, coughing a few times in order to stall for time. "Well, I suppose you will have the opportunity to prove yourselves. But do not waste it! You only have but one chance!"

Kaede gave a long, forlorn exhale. This was without a doubt one of the worst interactions she'd ever had with a person—maybe even worse than when she'd met Miu—and she wasn't entirely sure who was to blame. Gundham could've rivaled the sultry inventor in terms of insulting behavior. She wondered if it was too late to contact the headmaster and request a different partner from Class 77.

"Moving on, what should our project be about?" asked Sakura.

"I'm not sure," said Kaede. "Maybe we should talk about our talents and figure out where to go from there?" Sakura shrugged, and Gundham didn't even move. As neither had outright shot down her suggestion, she continued. "Well, as the Ultimate Pianist, I can play many songs on the piano, most of them classical. I've won a few competitions, actually."

"Congratulations to you on that, Kaede," said Sakura. "As the Ultimate Martial Artist, I train my body and mind extensively everyday. I know a variety of different fighting styles and have won tournaments in multiple countries."

"As the Ultimate Breeder, I learn about many different animals and how to care for them," said Gundham. "There are no competitions in such a field, so I have no fancy trophies, but I do have a blog where I inform the public of rare breeds."

Kaede stared in awe at Gundham, which he noticed. "Do my abilities impress you, symphonist?" he said with a cocky smile. "I understand why you would be."

It's not what he said that impressed her, but _how_ he said it. It was the first completely coherent statement he'd made so far, no exaggerated verboseness attached. It was also the first time he'd called himself the Ultimate Breeder and spoke of his abilities, something he callously dismissed earlier. He even sounded somewhat upbeat when he said it. She wasn't a detective, but even she noticed the possible correlation.

"And where does this leave us?" asked Sakura.

Kaede racked her brain as she looked between her partners. Despite their clear passion for their hobbies, nothing was coming to mind. "Man, our talents are so different. What are we supposed to make together?"

Another awkward silence paid a visit. They avoided eye contact with each other and looked down at the table. Kaede began to tap another tune on the planks before a welcome interruption came by.

The waiter returned with their drinks. He placed a glass of tea in front of Kaede, a mug of steaming coffee before Sakura, and then trembled as he placed Gundham's two glasses of water down. He scampered off without a word.

Kaede saw Sakura pull out a white bottle from her purse. She opened it and sprinkled a powdery substance into her coffee, then stirred it around with a spoon.

"What's that?" asked Kaede.

"Protein powder," she stated. "It's a good supplement."

"Wow, you're super dedicated to your routine," said Kaede. "I'm impressed. I wonder what it's like to be a martial artist."

"Thank you, Kaede," said Sakura as she took a sip of her coffee. "Like any talent, it requires focus, hard work, and dedication. Anyone with those qualities can pick it up."

Her words were reassuring to hear. They were down to earth and relatable. "Focus, hard work, and dedication," muttered Kaede. It was a simple sentiment, but nonetheless true. It was a great effort to be a talented pianist, and Kaede was reminded that anyone's talent would require just as much work, whether they were a martial artist or a breeder or a detective. She sipped her tea, which cooled both her body and thoughts.

"So no one has any schemes to offer up for our success?" said Gundham after finishing one of his glasses of water in one gulp. "Disappointing."

"I don't see you coming up with anything," retorted Kaede.

"Teamwork is beyond the realm of my powers," said Gundham, somehow sounding boastful. Kaede was bewildered how someone like him could be prideful when admitting to something he was incapable of.

Sakura scratched her chin. "Well, you play piano, I know how to fight, and Gundham… trains animals, correct?" She looked to him for affirmation, and he merely rolled his eyes. "What if Kaede plays a song, and Gundham teaches an animal to do moves to that song?"

Kaede swayed from side-to-side. "Well, it's a start, I guess. But what would _you_ be doing?"

"I suppose I could perform some of my moves, as well," she said.

"So both of you would be performing at the same time? But how would the audience know who to pay attention to?" Kaede immediately regretted asking that, for what followed without missing a beat was—

"They would obviously pay attention to me since I'm the Chosen One by the Dark Gods of the Demon Realm."

The most shocking thing about what he just said was actually the lack of anything grandiose about it. He didn't proclaim it loudly nor was there an evil cackle to follow it. He simply stated it as a fact.

Kaede tried to ignore him and keep focused. "I'm not sure, Sakura. It sounds like we'd just be doing our talents individually but at the same time. The school might not be impressed by that."

"Forgive me, it was only a simple thought," said Sakura as she took another sip of her coffee, dejection clear as day in her voice.

"N-no, it wasn't bad!" she quickly said as she held her hands up defensively. "I just—! What I meant was—"

"It's okay, you don't need to apologize," said Sakura. She leaned back in her chair, folded her arms, and closed her eyes.

 _Now_ came Gundham's evil cackle. "To offend the beast yields great consequences, symphonist. I hope you're prepared to face them."

"Gundham, you're not helping!" Kaede pulled at her hair and slammed her forehead onto the table, staring at her feet through the gaps in the planks. She heard Gundham burst into laughter, and he didn't soon stop.

They weren't getting anywhere. No ideas were coming to mind. Their talents were too different. How could they possibly work together? How were they supposed to accomplish anything? This would surely be a debacle. How could they call themselves Ultimates of Hope's Peak Academy after this?

She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone, no longer caring about any perceived rudeness she would show in doing so. As she guessed earlier, what awaited her was a reply from Shuichi.

 _"Hey, don't feel nervous. You're great at talking to people. I'm sure you'll do fine."_

Her mind almost snapped from the words, which stared back at her as if to mock her. Her grip loosened and the phone slipped from her hand, colliding with the table like a hammer. Her head fell back down to the table, and she stabbed her fingers through her sweaty locks. She wanted to lose it, she wanted to laugh like a crazed lunatic, but Gundham was already doing enough for the both of them.

"Um, is everything okay over here?" came the waiter's voice.

Kaede looked up and saw him standing next to their table, concern etched on his face. He glanced between the three of them, clearly having no clue of how to proceed. No doubt he saw the commotion occurring, and he was ill fit to handle the turmoil happening in their group. Before Kaede could respond to him, though—

"Two more waters for me, mortal!"

The waiter trembled again before Gundham's demands. "Oh, y-you already finished them? That was fast."

"Hmph, you cannot possibly comprehend the desires of a Dark Lord such as myself," he sneered. "I must ingest the liquid of life to maintain this form! Now go!"

"O-okay, right away, sir!" he said as he scurried off in terror.

Kaede buried her face in her hands, almost wanting to sob. She frantically rubbed her eyes in circles until they became sore. It hadn't been that long since her partners showed up, yet it was already clear how the rest of their lunch date would go. How was she going to survive today? How was she going to survive the next month with these two? How was she going to survive her remaining years at Hope's Peak Academy after this inevitable disaster?

Kaede picked up her phone and replied to Shuichi.

 _"Shu, you're lucky you're not here right now. 'Trainwreck' doesn't even begin to describe this. If my partners mysteriously vanish tonight, it won't take a detective to figure out who did it."_

* * *

Kaede threw her head back onto the pillow, clutching her face in frustration. She pulled down on her cheeks, drooping her eyelids and blurring her vision. She jerked from side to side upon the mattress, messing up the tidy blanket and sheets beneath her.

The only other sound in the room was the clicking of computer keys. Saihara Shuichi sat at his desk against the opposite wall, typing away on his laptop, his back to her. She tossed and turned on his bed faster, eyeing him like a hawk and desperate for his attention.

When he still hadn't acknowledged her, she shouted, "Aaarrrggghhh, this is impossible!"

Shuichi's head turned slightly to the side, though not enough to reveal his face. "Kaede, relax."

It wasn't the response she wanted to hear. She wanted him to look at her, to give her some real input. "I can't relax! What am I supposed to do?! I have nothing for this project!"

"You just met them today," he said, still typing away. "Give yourselves some time to iron out your ideas before you freak out. I'm sure you'll come up with something when you meet up again."

Kaede bolted upright and stared at the back of his head in annoyance. "Meet up _again?_ Shu, I don't know if I _can_ see them again! It was almost impossible to have a conversation with them!" She began to fidget with her jeans. "Sakura's kinda nice, but she's not very talkative, and I have no clue what planet Gundham is from! I'd rather be blindfolded and forced to play a piano with keys that are slightly smaller than normal!"

"That's… oddly specific," said Shuichi. "But cheer up. I'm sure you'll think of something." His words sounded dismissive and brought her no comfort.

"What are you even doing right now?" she asked, her tone irritated as he focused more on his laptop than on her.

"Oh, a friend of mine sent me some critical thinking questions. I'm answering them to keep my mind sharp."

Kaede huffed and got up from the bed, strolling the short distance over to his desk. She looked over his shoulder and saw a word document on the screen. There were a series of questions, each describing a crime and asking for the culprit's identity using the clues given. There were so many words dotting the screen like ants that she couldn't tell where the questions ended and where his answers began. Just trying to read a sentence was giving her a headache. She looked away before her brain became flooded.

"Geez, a _friend_ sent these to you? They must know you're a detective freak."

"Well, she _should_ know that," said Shuichi with a chuckle. "She's the Ultimate Detective of the 78th class. Her name's Kirigiri Kyoko. Do you know her?"

Kaede tapped her chin repeatedly. "Kyoko? No, I haven't heard of her. I can't picture anyone." Despite that, the name "Kirigiri" rang a bell, but she couldn't quite remember where she'd heard it before.

Shuichi stopped his typing and looked at her. "Well, since we have the same talent, we've been talking to each other. You should meet her."

Kaede was upset that they were no longer discussing her problem, but she was at least glad that Shuichi finally pried his eyes off of his laptop and onto her. She decided to keep the topic going in the hope of maintaining his attention. "What's she like?"

His face fell slightly. "Oh, uh, she's… nice. Not too talkative, though."

Kaede frowned. "You do realize I just complained about how one of my partners isn't talkative, right?"

"Yes, I was listening to you, Kaede," he said firmly.

She picked up on his tone and decided to add some jest to her next words. "Then why would you think I'd wanna meet her based on that quality, you doof?"

"Oh, well…" He seemed to be grinding the gears in his brain, but he only managed a dumb grin. "You got me there, Kaede. I guess I wasn't thinking. Maybe I've been staring at this screen for too long." He closed his laptop, stood up from the desk, and walked across the room and sat on the bed. "Let me try that again. She can seem a bit distant, but when you've found something she wants to talk about, she'll open up."

Kaede chuckled. "You're not a very good salesman, Shu." She plopped down on the mattress next to him, happy that he was finally away from his laptop. "Okay, tell me this: on a scale of Kaito to Maki, how sociable is she?"

Shuichi appeared at a loss for words. "Kyoko? Hmmm…" The gears were moving again, and he eventually said, "She's definitely on the Maki side. I'd place her somewhere between Maki and Korekiyo."

Kaede lightly gagged. "Oh god, that's…" She shook her head. "Again, lack of salesman skills, Shu. You're supposed to make me _want_ to meet her, you know?"

Shuichi was taken aback. "Look, I know she's not the easiest person to get along with, but she's still my friend. We share the same talent and have a lot to talk about, and that means a lot to me. You shouldn't be so quick to judge her when you haven't even met her."

He resembled a teacher disciplining his student. The air between them was turning sour, and Kaede averted her eyes and said, "You're right. I'm sorry, Shu. I was just trying to tease, but..."

He softly laid his hand upon her shoulder. "It's okay, Kaede. I'm sorry I sounded so harsh. I know you weren't trying to be mean. How about we don't use the Kaito–Maki scale as an accurate measure of character?" He laughed, which helped Kaede to feel better.

"You know, I'm glad you defended her like that," she said. "I'd probably have the same reaction if someone was talking that way about you."

"O-oh, really?" he asked, somewhat shyly.

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "You're really sweet and super smart. You're an amazing person!"

His cheeks turned rosy. "O-oh, uh, th-thanks. I'd, um, do the same for you, too." He scratched his head nervously. "I don't think I'd be the way I am now if it weren't for you, Kaede. I _know_ I wasn't the most approachable person when I got here, but you took the time to get to know me."

Now it was her turn to blush. She raised her arm to brush her hair, attempting to obscure her face. "W-well, yeah. I, um, I-I saw you by yourself a lot. I didn't want you to feel alone."

Shuichi cleared his throat. "Y-yes, and I'm very grateful for that."

Their eyes locked, and everything else suddenly faded away. A lump formed in Kaede's throat, and she found herself unable to move, getting lost in his soft gray gaze and long curling eyelashes. It wasn't the first time this had happened between them, but she still always found herself unable to break the trance. Against her will, her face began to inch closer to his, and her mind went into a panic at the realization of what was about to happen…

With a slam of her eyelids, she finally managed to swallow the lump and pull herself back. She laughed awkwardly and didn't dare to look at him for his reaction, preferring to use this moment to study his bedroom and keep herself distracted.

It was her first time at his house, and it was just as quaint as she'd expected it to be. His room was small, had light blue walls, and only one window that let in the orange glow of the sunset. His twin-sized bed had dark blue sheets on it, and his desk was organized, with only his laptop, a mouse, a small reading lamp, and a holder of pens and pencils upon its surface. There was a meager amount of posters hung up on the walls, one of which depicted an original rendition of Sherlock Holmes, hung directly over his bed, while the others were only of various nature scenes that Kaede didn't find noteworthy. There were two bookshelves along the far wall, which Kaede had inspected earlier and found mostly mystery and thriller novels along with some fantasy scattered here and there. His possessions didn't surprise her given how well she knew him.

Her eyes eventually fell onto the nightstand beside the bed, and what she saw resting upon it took her breath away. Next to his lamp was a photo within a small pink frame. She picked it up and held it gently in her lap. It held a selfie of herself and Shuichi, sitting in the balcony level of a concert hall. They were both smiling, their faces nearly touching, the empty stage in the distance behind them as the show had yet to begin. About a month after the start of their first term at Hope's Peak, Kaede had asked Shuichi to accompany her to an orchestra that was playing in town. She was pleased that he agreed to go, and they wound up having a great time. Still, she wasn't expecting to find the photo framed in his bedroom, and she felt the butterflies in her stomach take flight.

Kaede wanted to just place it back down and say nothing of it, fearful that any acknowledgement would only bring embarrassment, but her mind had lost to her heart. "Hey, Shuichi, you framed this picture?"

He turned to face her, then looked down at her lap. His eyes widened in surprise, and his pale face suddenly glowed red like a furnace. "O-oh, uh, yeah. It was a lot of fun, so… I wanted to do something with it." He laughed nervously.

Kaede smiled and placed the photo back down on the nightstand. "I meant it when I said you're really sweet, Shu. Oh, that reminds me, I actually framed that Sherlock poster you got me and hung it on my wall."

"Oh, yeah?" he mumbled, looking flustered. "I didn't think you'd actually like it."

"Of course I like it!" Her habit of shouting emerged yet again, and she covered her mouth. "Er, I mean, you love detectives, and I was happy you shared that with me, and also…" She paused, swallowing another lump, and said faintly, "... you're my best friend, Shuichi."

All hesitation from him vanished, replaced with a cheeky grin. Mockingly, he said, "I'm sorry, what was that? I thought I heard you say something."

"God, you're such a tease," she whined. "I-I said you're my best friend, Shuichi."

"Heh, interesting," he said, laying his hand upon her shoulder once again. "Well, you're my best friend, too."

Kaede's heart wanted to burst from her chest. She quickly threw her arms around him and buried her head into the crook of his neck. "Shuuuuu, you can't just say things like that!"

"Uh, you said it first, Kaede," he said as he reached around her back and began rubbing it in circles.

They sat there in silence, the only sound coming from the crickets chirping outside. Kaede couldn't find a compelling enough reason to release the detective, and he didn't seem to be in a rush to push her away, either. Thoughts ran through her head, the same ones that had come and gone many times before, and like always, Kaede tried to ignore them. Shuichi was her first friend at Hope's Peak, and she wasn't willing to risk ruining that, no matter how strong her desires were. Reluctantly, she released her hold on him and lifted her head from his chest, feeling his delicate caresses of her back leaving her. They stared at each other awkwardly.

"What do you think I should do about this project, Shu?" she asked, wanting to move past the silence. "We don't have much time, and I have no idea how to tackle it."

"I will admit, the lack of parameters is a bit overwhelming," said Shuichi, rubbing his chin. "It's harder to come up with something without clearer directions, but I suppose that's intentional."

Kaede leaned her head to the side. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Well, we're students of _the_ Hope's Peak Academy, right? The beacons of hope for the future and all that. All eyes are on us, and we need to show that a group of people can come together and create something interesting. If we can't accomplish this, then we don't stand a chance after graduation."

Kaede pouted. "Well, _duh,_ that part's obvious! I'm not struggling so much with the tight deadline or the unclear instructions, but with who my partners are! What exactly are a pianist, a martial artist, and an animal breeder supposed to do together?! Not only do our talents not match up, but we don't seem to have anything in common!"

Shuichi only managed a solemn nod.

Kaede dug her fingernails into the bedsheets. "We should've been partnered off differently," she said in frustration. "Did you know that Maizono Sayaka is in the class above us? She's a professional singer and one of the most famous idols ever! The third-years even have a student called the Ultimate Musician! Why didn't they pair the three of us together?! We could've put on a concert or something!"

Shuichi sighed. "I hate to say this, Kaede, but I think that's exactly what the school was trying to avoid."

Kaede stared at him puzzlingly. "But why? If the point is to show the world that we're worth something, then an obvious group like that would be able to accomplish that, no problem!"

"Don't you see it, though? You just answered your own question," said Shuichi, grinning. "I'm sure the three of you together would've been great to see, but as you just said, it's obvious. It wouldn't be nearly as much of a challenge."

Kaede could hear the faintest trace of excitement in his voice. It was clear that he was enjoying explaining his thoughts to her, his "deductive reasoning", as it were. He was such a detective freak, and it comforted her ever so slightly.

"Imagine if they put Kyoko, the other Ultimate Detective, in my group. Would you really be surprised?"

"I suppose not," admitted Kaede. Shuichi tilted his head knowingly at her, and she rolled her eyes. "Who are your partners, by the way?"

His face faltered. His eyes began darting to random spots around the room. "Uhhhh, you want to know about them?" She nodded, and he coughed. "Oh boy, where to begin?"

"Oh come on, Shu, they can't possibly be worse than my group."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Wanna bet?"

Kaede held out her pinky. "Loser treats the winner to lunch."

"I'll take that," said Shuichi, interlocking his pinky with hers. "Okay, so, my group…" He paused for a moment and inhaled. "The second-year student is the Ultimate Moral Compass. He's a stickler for order and won't hesitate to say something if he sees you violating the rules of whatever establishment you happen to be at. He also seems pretty old-fashioned. In fact, I'm sure he would scold us right now because a boy and a girl are sitting on the same bed."

Despite breaking apart earlier, Kaede was suddenly reminded of how closely they were still sitting together. Their hands currently resting on the mattress were almost touching. She met his gaze, resulting in a blush from both of them, before they looked away from each other.

"A-anyway," he stammered. "However, my other partner is the Ultimate Yakuza. He belongs to a mafia family, and, well, I'm sure you see where this is going. Order and crime don't get along. You can imagine my frustration."

Kaede nodded her head, imagining the constant arguing Shuichi likely had to endure between his partners. As dysfunctional as she thought her own group was, they at least managed to avoid outright hostility. Even though she thought Sakura was a stick in the mud, she was at least level-headed, and Gundham's "Dark Lord" persona was certainly odd and annoying to deal with, but she didn't feel any true antagonism from his callous words.

"So what did you wind up doing about it?" she asked.

"Well, in the moment, I couldn't do anything," responded Shuichi. "Both of them were quite overwhelming. I'm pretty sure not one pleasant exchange happened between them. I started to think, _'Why would Hope's Peak purposefully pair the three of us together?'._ When I reached out to Kyoko for help, she told me that she was struggling with her own group, and we were able to come to a conclusion."

Kaede's eyes were trained on him, listening intently to his every word. "Your detective instincts kicked in, huh?"

Shuichi chuckled. "I guess you could say that. For my group, we realized that there was a theme. The Moral Compass represents order, the Yakuza represents chaos, and I, as the truth-seeking Detective, represent neutrality. We're each one point of a scale. Don't you think it would be impressive if we came together to create something?"

"You three do sound incredibly different, so I suppose it would be a miracle," said Kaede.

"Exactly!" he exclaimed, his own voice becoming louder than necessary. "Don't you see? Hope's Peak wants people of different talents and backgrounds to work together! That's the whole point of this project! It would be too easy if they paired all three musically-inclined students together. Everyone would be expecting a concert."

The goofy grin upon his face was too much for Kaede to handle, and she snorted laughter. "God, you really are a detective at heart. Look at that smile on your face. You love explaining things to me, don't you?"

Shuichi awkwardly attempted to hide himself behind his hand. "U-um, w-well, I was just trying…"

Kaede lightly jabbed his arm. "I'm just teasing, you doof!" Her stomach then felt empty, and she frowned and hung her head in shame. "But wow, I didn't even think of this project that deeply. I feel dumb for even suggesting the concert idea. Of _course_ that was too obvious! Do I even deserve to be an Ultimate with that basic level of thinking?"

Shuichi's firm grip suddenly swallowed her shoulders, causing her head to jerk back up. She became mesmerized by his now serious expression and deep gaze. "Kaede, don't say that! Of course you deserve to be an Ultimate! You're a brilliant pianist!"

The blush crept back into her cheeks. She struggled to look him in the eyes. "You're just saying that."

"No, I mean it! I love it when you play!" he proclaimed passionately.

"Sh-Shuichi?" Her breathing intensified and her chest heaved rapidly. She became all too aware of the close proximity of their faces, a gentle breeze all that would be needed to push his lips onto hers. Not even Maki's intense eyes could rival the redness of her cheeks at that moment. Her heart pounded uncontrollably as the butterflies lifted off by the thousands. Try as she might to say something—anything—her mind blanked before his heartfelt gaze.

Likely also becoming aware of how close they were, Shuichi released his grasp on her and scooted a few inches away. The warmth emanating from him was replaced with an unwelcome cool breeze. Combatting the longing in her heart, Kaede took this opportunity to stand up and pretend to stretch her legs. She was elated that such an intimate moment had just occurred, having dreamt about it for months, but she was also thankful that it ended and ridded her of a potentially awkward situation. She found Shuichi so handsome and sweet that she was sure if they stayed that way for even a second longer, she would have closed the gap between them.

"U-um, thank you, Shu," was all she could manage to say.

"Y-yeah, of course," he mumbled. He stood up from the bed and sat back down at his desk, opening up his laptop.

Kaede wandered over to his bookshelves, browsing his reading material again just so she had something to occupy herself with. She heard the familiar clacking of his keyboard, and she pondered for something to say as she glided over the book spines with her fingers.

"So Kyoko helped you, huh?" she finally spoke.

"Yeah," she heard him reply. "She did most of the thinking, though. She definitely had a better grasp on this project than I did."

"But you said she was also having trouble with her own group, right? Did she say who her partners were?"

"She did. Her third-year partner is the Ultimate Gamer, and from our class it's…" His typing stopped. "Well, it's actually Maki."

Kaede's face fell, her hand slipping from the bookshelf. "Oh no." She grasped her forehead. "And you said Kyoko herself was already towards the Maki side, huh? Oh geez, they're probably quieter than a library. I at least hope the Ultimate Gamer is lively enough for the both of them."

Shuichi laughed awkwardly and scratched his head. "Uh, y-yeah, sure…"

Kaede cocked an eyebrow at his response, but before she could consider it further, a thought clicked in her mind. "Oh, Kirigiri! I know why that name sounds familiar!" She snapped her fingers. "The headmaster's name is Kirigiri!"

"Yeah, Kyoko is the headmaster's daughter," said Shuichi.

"And you say she helped you figure this out? Couldn't she have just gotten the answer from her dad, though?"

His face hardened, his firm tone returning. "I admit that the possibility is there, but I'm sure she didn't. Again, that would defeat the purpose if we don't realize it for ourselves."

Kaede decided not to push the issue any further. It was clear from how he spoke that he placed a lot of faith in Kyoko, and continuing to press on it would yield no positive outcome. She continued skimming through his books, barely processing any of the titles that filled her view.

"So what do you think I should do, Shu?" she asked.

"Well, I think maybe you should get to know your partners better. You said you had nothing in common with them, but it also sounds like your conversations with them were based entirely around this project. Maybe try to learn who they are outside of school."

"I'll need you to wish me all the luck in the world for that to happen," said Kaede. "Are you gonna try that with your group, too?"

"I think I'll need all the luck in the _universe_ for that," he said with a snicker.

Kaede laughed in turn, and she felt a weight slowly lifting from her shoulders. A surge of hope began to envelop her, the idea of accomplishing the project no longer a far off possibility. The challenge was still ahead, sure, but Shuichi's words gave her a new way to go about it, and she was looking forward to seeing the results.

"Thank you, Shuichi, for believing in me." She felt a tear rolling down her cheek. "I'm glad I have you as a friend."

"You're welcome, Kaede," he said. "And I'm always here for you."

She wiped her eyes and stared at him for a moment. Her heart was beginning to swell again at how amazing he was, but it all came crashing down when, while wearing the cockiest smile she had ever seen, he suddenly said—

"Oh, by the way, you owe me a lunch."

"What?!" She placed her hands on her hips. Now it was her turn to be firm with him. "Who decided that you won the bet, huh?"

"I think it's pretty clear," he said. "My group is definitely worse than yours."

"Well, of course you'd say that! You _had_ to make them sound bad!"

He wagged his finger at her. "But Kaede, I did manage to convince you of my group's horrors, right?"

"Yes…" she muttered.

"And you also called me a terrible salesman. _Twice."_

"Um, uh-huh." She didn't like where he was going with this.

His smile went from cocky to devilish. "So if my supposedly inferior salesman skills still managed to paint a picture for you, then that means I sold you on how powerful my story was. Ergo, my group is worse, so I win."

Kaede pointed her finger at him. "Y-you—!" She took slow, loud, irritated breaths. Finally, she sighed and drooped her head. "Sometimes I hate the fact that you're a detective. Fine, you win."

Shuichi laughed. "I'm going to make this an expensive meal."

"Oh, shut up!"

* * *

 **Pinkie's Thoughts:** I hope you're enjoying this so far, everypony! This story came about because Kaede, Sakura, and Gundham are my favorite characters from each game (Kaede being my favorite of the entire series, kami-tier waifu), and I thought about what the three of them would do together if they ever met. Shuichi, Kiyotaka, and Fuyuhiko are my second favorite characters from each game (at least Kiyotaka was at the time of writing this; he's since been replaced by Sayaka), hence why they're grouped together. Finally, Kyoko, Chiaki, and Maki are together because they're the main investigative partners in each game.

Since Hope's Peak Academy is a Japanese school, it would likely follow the country's academic year. The first term begins in April and ends in July, hence why Kaede's summer break only recently started. They then resume school in September, which is when the project is due. Doing research is fun!


	2. Through the Threshold

_**Chapter 2: Through the Threshold**_

Kaede leaned against the gravelly wall outside the mall's main entrance, the stone archway overhead protecting her from another relentless sunny day. She was surrounded by the footsteps and chatter of passersby and the occasional car pulling around, though she paid them no mind as her eyes were glued to her cell phone.

She was reading the most recent page of Gundham's blog, having asked him for details about it after he mentioned it at their lunch outing. He wrote of rare breeds of animals, some of which were considered threatened due to their low population. He explained their mating habits, their natural habitats, their diets, as well as advice on how to prevent them from going extinct. Kaede had never heard of most of these species before today, being mostly familiar with dogs, cats, fish, and others commonly kept as household pets. Gundham's knowledge was remarkable, and it was clear why Hope's Peak had named him the Ultimate Breeder.

Kaede was surprised by the blog's high quality. The articles featured multiple photos of each animal, properly structured paragraphs, and a simple but charming floral backdrop, wrapping the whole package in an outdoorsy aesthetic. What struck her most was how intelligent Gundham sounded through his writing. His "Dark Lord" persona that he publicly wore was nowhere to be found amongst the words, and she wondered why he preferred to act that way around people when it didn't convey the wisdom he was clearly capable of showing.

Her reading spree was interrupted when her phone suddenly vibrated within her hand, displaying two notifications at the top of the screen. The first was a text from Shuichi, which gave her a surge of excitement as she immediately opened it.

 _"Good luck with your hangout today. Remember, just focus on getting to know them and let the project come later. I know you can do it."_

Her heart melted as she read his message. He was so sweet, thinking of her even when he had his own group drama to deal with. She was anxious about meeting up with Sakura and Gundham today, but this one text gave her a small amount of courage. She tapped the screen and composed her reply.

 _"T_ _hanks, Shu. I'm still feeling a bit iffy, but I think I can do it. I'll send you an update later. :)"_

It was the beginning of August, roughly a week after the group had met up at the diner. That outing had proven so awkward that Kaede was hesitant to interact with her partners ever again, but she took Shuichi's advice on trying to befriend them and so sporadically texted them throughout the week. Finding common ground proved difficult; her conversations with Sakura were overly polite and boring due to her fear of accidentally upsetting her again, and any communication with Gundham was near impossible due to his tendency to speak like a crazed lunatic. She had hoped to break ground with him when she found out about his pet hamsters, and he even sent her a picture of them, but any attempt to bond over them was met with his typical _"you're a lower demon"_ nonsense.

As the week dragged on, Kaede's desire to throw in the towel had only grown, but Shuichi constantly pushed her to see this through. With their school project due next month, she knew she would have to face the music and see them eventually, so she bit the bullet and invited them to hangout with her at the mall today.

She closed Shuichi's text and switched over to the other notification, an email. The bolded subject line showed it was a reply from the headmaster of Hope's Peak. Her eyes bulged, the sweat upon her forehead multiplying rapidly, as she slowly moved her trembling finger toward the screen to open it.

 _"Dear Kaede,_

 _I would be happy to reschedule the party for September 7. I think it's very nice that you're trying to do this for your classmate. My goal at Hope's Peak Academy is to make the student body feel like a unit, hence why we're having this party in the first place, and your desire to help someone else impresses me. The staff will handle most of the preparations, as will any students who are interested in helping. I would also be happy to discuss with you any decorations or other ideas that would make the party extra special for him._

 _As far as your group project is concerned, as long as the execution is handled exclusively by you and your partners, then I don't see a problem. Let me know if there's anything you'll need for your setup. The party will be in the gym, by the way._

 _As for my daughter's involvement, I've spoken with her, and she has agreed to participate. Since her role is unrelated to your presentation, I see no issues with it._

 _I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Kaede, and I look forward to seeing what you and your group come up with. We'll keep in touch to iron out the details._

 _Regards,  
_ _Kirigiri Jin  
_ _Headmaster, Hope's Peak Academy"_

Kaede leaned her head back against the wall, sighing in relief and wiping her forehead. At least her group now had a time and location for their presentation, even if they hadn't yet figured out what they were doing. Dread quickly overtook her as she dwelled on that fact, but she expelled the thought with a shake of her head. She needed to adhere to the promise she had made to Shuichi, to make today be about befriending her partners, not about stressing over the project.

She closed the email and tried to delve into Gundham's blog again, but her stubborn mind distracted her by continually processing this new information. Deciding that taking in her surroundings would better occupy her thoughts, she put her phone to sleep and dropped it back in her purse, looking up just in time to see a red sports car pulling up to the curb before the mall's entrance. The sun's rays bounced off of its sleek and shiny exterior, causing Kaede to shield her eyes with her arms. She squinted and could make out the passenger door opening, and soon there was a muscular, reddish figure with long, pointed white—

To say Kaede was perplexed at seeing Sakura's bulky form stepping out like a clown from a tiny car would be an understatement. She had no idea what to make of the strongest woman on the planet riding around in a small, gaudy vehicle that she dwarfed when she stood upright. Sure, Sakura came out of the passenger side, so it wasn't her car, but the image still felt off. It was... ordinary, like how Kaede's mom had dropped her off in her minivan earlier, and neither Sakura nor Gundham were what she would call "ordinary". Perhaps because she was a martial artist, Kaede had expected her to run to the mall while carrying a boulder above her head, and Gundham… teleportation, perhaps?

Kaede took a few steps back until the harsh rays were blocked by the archway above her. She saw Sakura lean back into the car and appear to exchange words with the silhouetted driver. After a moment, she closed the door and waved as the car drove away with nary a sound to the pavement. When Sakura turned around to face the mall, Kaede caught her attention with a wave of her own, which the giant acknowledged with a nod.

As Sakura strode over, Kaede used that small window of time to examine her. Her usual gray purse adorned her shoulder, and she wore a pair of tight black jogging shorts, brown sandals, and what looked like two blue bean bags wrapped around both of her ankles. She once again wore a white shirt that clung to her every muscle, but Kaede could barely make out a design on it, the bulk of which was hidden by Sakura's hefty arms crossed before her chest.

While Sakura's wardrobe was par for the course, looking like she had just left the gym, there was an uncharacteristically shy look about her. Not knowing what to make of it, Kaede opted for a standard greeting.

"Uh, hey, Sakura," she said warily.

Sakura grumbled as she came to a stop. "Hello, Kaede. How are you doing?" She didn't bother to hide the reluctance in her voice.

"I'm alright. Looking forward to today, I guess," Kaede replied. "How about you?"

Even with her deep red skin, Kaede could make out a blush creeping through her cheeks. "I'm fine, as well. Thanks for asking." Her tone remained firm and her words were straight to the point, withstanding even her apparent discomfort. "I want to apologize for what happened last week. I know Gundham and I didn't make the greatest of introductions. I should've told you this sooner, but I didn't want to say it over a text."

Kaede shifted her eyes to the ground, uneased by the sudden apology. She wasn't expecting their conversation to begin by addressing their previous awkwardness. She brushed her hair aside, wanting to keep her hands busy as she thought of a reply. "Uh, it's fine, Sakura. Sometimes we get off on the wrong foot. Let's just forget about it and enjoy today."

Kaede held out her hand, hoping Sakura would take it. Despite their last handshake sucking the life out of her arm, she believed it necessary to show that she wanted to move past it. She worried things between them would only get worse if they addressed the elephants in the room so soon.

Sakura regarded her outstretched hand with hesitation before finally accepting it. The design on her shirt was exposed for the briefest of moments before she adjusted her other arm to pick up the slack of covering it. During that brief interval, Kaede spied some lettering and the wrinkled head of a ninja peering over Sakura's bicep.

Kaede never registered the strength of the handshake, her attention focused solely on the design. Sakura then ceased their contact abruptly, took a step back, and resumed crossing her arms, hiding nearly all of it from sight once again.

Kaede smirked and glanced upwards at her. "Sakura, why are you trying to hide your shirt from me?"

The martial artist's eyes immediately darted away. "Whatever do you mean?"

The pianist wasn't falling for that. "I can tell you're trying to cover it up."

"I-I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about…"

Kaede grasped her chin and stepped towards Sakura, inspecting her closely. "Oh, really? I can see there's something on there. Your shirt has a lot of wrinkles right now because you're pressing your arms tightly against it. You ended our handshake and tried to hide it again when you caught me looking. It's obvious that you don't want me to see what's on there."

Sakura couldn't help but stare at her in awe. She blinked a few times as her words failed to form. "You… um... wow, that's impressive observation you possess. You sounded just like a detective."

Kaede backed away, the oppressive sunlight merely a small candle compared to the heat that began creeping into her face. "O-oh, really?! I-I, uh… the words just kinda came out." Her analysis of Sakura's shirt took little thought, coming about as naturally as if she were discussing the piano. Her mind raced to Shuichi, reflecting on just how much time she had spent with him since her life began at Hope's Peak. The butterflies in her stomach took flight and her feet began to shuffle. "W-well, you see, my best friend is the Ultimate Detective in my class."

Sakura smiled. "Is that so? You must spend a lot of time with them to be so skilled."

Kaede scratched her head, keeping her eyes to the ground. "Yeah, we hang out a lot. His name's Shuichi, and he's such an amazing person. Probably the smartest guy I know."

"I wonder if he's anything like the Ultimate Detective in my class. Have you met her, perchance?"

"You mean Kyoko?" Kaede managed to look back up in time to catch Sakura nodding. "I haven't, though it's possible I've seen her around campus just like with you and Gundham. She and Shuichi are friends, actually. They exchange logic puzzles or something with each other. Detective nerds, am I right?"

Sakura snorted, then covered her mouth—the head of the ninja emerged to leer at Kaede once again. "As I've said before, there's nothing wrong with embracing your talent to the fullest extent. Plus, working together with people who have similar interests is a good way to improve your skills. It's worked well for me, and I'm sure it will for them."

"Oh, yeah? You practice martial arts with others, Sakura?" asked Kaede with peaking interest.

Sakura's stiff posture noticeably became more relaxed. "Indeed, I do. Your classmate Tenko is teaching me aikido. I already possessed some knowledge of the style, but I've learned a great deal from training with her."

Kaede giggled as an image of the two of them together played in her mind. She could hardly imagine the stoic Sakura getting along with the excitable Tenko, likely having to deal with her loud proclamations and distracting thoughts of Himiko.

"You may not have met them," Sakura continued, "but there's also Nekomaru, Akane, and Peko, all of whom are in Gundham's class. I don't see them as often as Tenko, but I've had some sessions with them." She paused, a warm smile emerging from her lips. "And there's also my greatest partner, my boyfriend Kenshiro."

Kaede perked up at this. "You have a boyfriend, Sakura? And he trains with you?"

"Yes, and he's truly the greatest fighter I know. He heard of me due to my victories in competitions, so he challenged me to a duel. We've fought many times, and… well, there was an electricity between us whenever we made contact. I hadn't felt that kind of connection with anyone before. It was new and exciting. It turned out he was getting the same feeling, so we've been together ever since."

"Wow, that's so romantic!" Kaede squealed, clapping her hands together, her eyes shining like stars in the night sky. "Is he a student, too?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, he doesn't go to Hope's Peak. I think the school passed him over because of his limited reputation. He prefers to fight only in underground circles, so he's not as well known to the public as I am."

"Wow, that's amazing that you have so many people you can share your talent with. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone here who likes the piano, so it's hard for me." Kaede reflected on her history with her favorite instrument, how her knowledge of it had mostly come from being self-taught. She never took lessons from another and always played solo, learning everything through rigorous trial and error. Her mind then wandered over to Sayaka and Ibuki, the other two musicians within the school, and how they may have honed their skills. Kaede was always curious to ask, but she was too timid to approach them. One had played in a band, and the other was the leader of her own group, and she feared they would shun her isolated nature.

"Now now, Kaede, don't be dejected by that," said Sakura. "Maybe there aren't any other pianists for you to practice with, but I'm sure there are plenty who would love to hear you play. What about your best friend?"

Kaede cupped her cheeks shyly. "Well, yeah, Shuichi has heard me play. He says he really likes it, but…" She pouted. "I don't know, what if he's just saying that to be nice to me?"

"Do you honestly believe that?" asked Sakura. "Didn't you mention that you'd won competitions? Surely your skills must be impressive, then. Do you really think your _best_ friend, someone who's a detective, would lie to you about that?"

"W-well… I guess not, maybe?" mumbled Kaede. "It's hard to tell what he's really thinking, sometimes. I guess because he's a detective, he has to keep his emotions in check or something."

"You should have more confidence in yourself," said Sakura. "But if you want to play for someone else, how about Kyoko? She's also a detective, so if she compliments you the same way as your friend, then you'll need to start giving yourself more credit."

"Heh heh, I guess so," replied Kaede.

"I think it could be good for Kyoko, too. I fear she doesn't have many people to talk to. I'm glad to hear that she found common ground with your friend, but having another wouldn't hurt. Who knows, she may be able to help you improve your own deductive abilities."

Kaede glanced down at her purse and saw her cell phone through its narrow opening. She thought back to the email she received from the headmaster, knowing that a meeting with Kyoko was inevitable for what she had planned. "You're right, Sakura, I think I should get to know her." She grinned mischievously. "Anyway, since I was correct about you hiding your shirt, may I see it?"

Sakura frowned and grumbled, likely hoping that she had forgotten about that. Her arms fell to the wayside, and what appeared produced a delighted peep from Kaede. On her shirt were three cartoon ninjas, each holding various art supplies. Above them were the words _"Mixed Martial Arts",_ and below them were the words _"and Crafts"._

Kaede beamed, swiftly planting herself mere inches from Sakura's chest to get a closer look. "Oh my god, that's so cute! It suits you!"

Sakura covered her face with one of her massive hands. "Please don't tease me, Kaede."

"No teasing at all!" she squealed. "I really like it! They're adorable!"

"W-well, I guess I'm glad this worked," she muttered, prompting Kaede to look at her inquisitively. "I... told my best friend about our meetup last week, hoping to get some advice for improvement…"

Kaede's glee faded away, and she slowly backed away from Sakura until she was against the wall once more.

Sakura cleared her throat. "Anyway, I mentioned the particular shirt that you wore, so she bought me this and told me to wear it the next time I saw you. Seeing what you have on right now, I suppose it was a good idea."

Kaede smiled when Sakura pointed at her. Her attire consisted of a deep purple short skirt with matching long socks, white shoes, and her usual purple purse. The article of clothing in question was a baby blue v-neck with the words _"Piano? More like piayes!"_ written upon it in big, cartoonish letters. It was one of her favorites and she wore it today to elevate her mood in case their hangout went south. Sakura's appreciation for it gave her a boost in confidence.

But Kaede could see that wearing something so silly was beyond Sakura's comfort zone, and she wanted to ease her woes. "Wow, that's awfully thoughtful of you. Thank you, Sakura. It really does look good on you. Tell your friend she has good taste. Do you train with her, as well?"

Sakura stepped next to Kaede and leaned against the wall with her. "Yes, but it's infrequent. She's a swimmer, so she does it to stay in shape rather than for the actual fighting. I mostly stick with the basics with her."

"So you talked with your best friend about what happened last week, huh?" said Kaede. "I did the same thing with Shuichi. I didn't know you were so affected by it, too. I guess it's nice that we have people we can rely on."

"Hina has been wonderful to me since the day we met," Sakura replied fondly. "I'm grateful to have someone like her in my life. She's the one who dropped me off here."

Kaede leaned her head back, staring skyward at the drifting clouds. "I wonder if Gundham has a best friend he can talk to about stuff."

"Oh, I know he does…" murmured Sakura.

Kaede eyed her quizzically, but before she could inquire further, she heard her cell phone buzz from within her purse. She pulled it out and what awaited was a text from Gundham.

 _"I will grace your presence in a few minutes, according to your mortal clock. The commencement of our mutual havoc will thusly begin!"_

Kaede rolled her eyes and held her phone up for Sakura to see. "I can't believe he even talks like that in his texts. Have you read his blog, by the way?"

"I have not," she stated.

"It's actually very well-written," said Kaede as she dropped her phone back into her purse. "You wouldn't believe it's by the same person. There's no mention of demons or alternate dimensions or anything. I don't get why he acts that way in front of us."

"I wish I knew the answer," responded Sakura, who was lazily watching anyone strolling through. "Every time I've spoken with him, he's been that way."

"Oh yeah, you two already knew each other before this project. I got the impression that you weren't friends, though."

Sakura shifted uncomfortably, her enormous fingers now fidgeting together. "Well, we first met when I'd asked him for help with something. I happen to like small animals, particularly rabbits, but my large stature frightens them." She paused and intertwined her fingers. "As Gundham is the Ultimate Breeder, I sought him for help, but he refused me."

Kaede was taken aback. "He refused? Why?"

Sakura's following groan was so loud and over the top that she sounded like an idle car engine. "He said, and I quote, _'A lowly demon who lacks tact is unworthy of the attention of small creatures.'_ When I asked him to elaborate, he shooed me away."

Kaede's mouth fell agape. "Are you serious? So he refused to help you _and_ he insulted you? That's unbelievable! If someone asks you for help, you should help them!" She crossed her arms in front of her chest, digging her fingernails into her skin. "If he came to me about learning to play the piano, I'd gladly teach him! Well, maybe not anymore."

"Don't worry about it, Kaede," she replied stoically. "This happened last year, and I'm past it. I won't let it interfere with our project."

Kaede's furrowed brow was so intense that it rivaled even Maki's. She was appalled, horrified even, by what she just heard. It was fundamental that people should help each other, and to hear that her own partner, an _Ultimate_ at that, had refused to aid a fellow Ultimate was detestable. If Gundham was unwilling to do that, then she doubted he could be trusted to pull his own weight for the project. Had Sakura informed Hope's Peak of this behavior? How could they tolerate someone like that within their walls?

Her thoughts festered, all prior good vibes rapidly departing—the lovely text from Shuichi, the matching shirt from Sakura, and the pleasant connection they'd been establishing, all fading into irritation towards Gundham.

"Greetings, mortals," came a familiar deep tone.

Speak of the devil. Kaede turned to see the so-called "Ultimate" Breeder sauntering up to them. He appeared almost identical as he did at the diner, completely clad in his black jacket, jeans, boots, and purple scarf. It was as if he had nothing else in his wardrobe.

"Hello, Gundham," Sakura said calmly. "How are you today?"

"Excellent!" he howled. "From the moment I arose from my chambers, I could feel that today would be magnificent!" He raised his hands above his head like an evil mastermind. "The Gods of the Underworld are smiling up at the Overlord of Ice!"

Kaede covered her face in embarrassment. She hoped the passersby wouldn't take notice of his loud and boastful antics. There were a few onlookers, but they continued on their way without a fuss.

"But what in the Devil's Realm are you wearing?" Gundham asked, pointing to Sakura's shirt. "Certainly not something that will strike fear into your opponents."

Before Sakura could respond, Kaede stepped forward and interjected hotly. "Hey, her shirt is cool! And you're seriously commenting on what she's wearing when you're dressed like that? Can't you feel how hot it is out here?"

Gundham gave her his typical glare, the pressure of his heterochromatic eyes making her knees quiver. She swallowed. An argument would likely start, so she held her ground and waited for his inevitable retort.

"... Greetings to you, symphonist," was all he said.

She preemptively opened her mouth, a retort of her own on the tip of her tongue, but she froze when she realized what he said. "Oh, um… hi?"

His continued glare, which made her jitter once again, combined with the oddly-timed acknowledgement proved it difficult to ascertain his true thoughts.

"I was merely commenting on her choice of garb," he said. "I fail to see what _my_ attire has to do with it."

Her hesitation ceased, and she pointed an accusatory finger at him. "She didn't ask for your opinion! If you're gonna say something, then at least be nice! Anything else is rude!"

Gundham scoffed at her. "Hmph, you're calling _me_ rude? Instead of addressing me properly upon my arrival, you instead decided to yell at me."

Kaede began to fume. "You deserved it after you insulted her!"

Gundham gritted his teeth. A large vein throbbed in his forehead. " _Insulted?!_ You insolent fool—!"

"That's enough, you two!" shouted Sakura. She stepped between them and pushed them apart. "I'm not going to stand here while you continue to bicker! We came here to have a nice day at the mall, so drop it!" She faced Gundham. "Gundham, please do not comment on my clothes unless I ask you to. Who says I'm trying to strike fear into anyone right now?" She turned to Kaede. "And Kaede, he did greet us when he got here, which you should've returned instead of picking a fight."

Kaede wavered beneath Sakura's towering form, her wrinkled ninjas looking down on her with disdain. There were even more onlookers now, some of whom actually stopped to see what was happening, and Kaede, even more embarrassed than before, realized she needed to bring her energy down. "You're right, Sakura. Today is supposed to be about having fun."

Gundham directed his harsh stare at the nearby crowd, which dispersed with haste. "Indeed. Shall we commence with the festivities, then?"

Sakura maintained her defensive posture, continuing to look back and forth between the two of them. When neither made any further moves, she lowered her arms, but disappointment was still clearly written on her. "Sure, that sounds good to me. I don't know about you two, but there's a store I'd like to go to."

Kaede nodded forcefully and followed after her, with Gundham closely behind. They stepped through the automatic doors and into the mall proper, the air conditioning enveloping Kaede's body and sending shivers down her spine, though doing nothing to cool down the intensity of her mind. She began the day with at least partial enthusiasm to get somewhere with her partners, but after that exchange, she now just wanted the day to be over with. She was beginning to find a stride with Sakura, and probably could've hung out with just her, but that was no longer a possibility. Today's outing was already shaping up to be worse than at the diner.

Their journey was uncomfortably silent. Kaede had only been to this mall once before and was occupying her thoughts with the surrounding establishments. They passed by several large department stores, an unassuming bookstore, and some chains that sold various snacks and desserts. There were many kiosks in the middle of the walkway offering goods such as beauty products, cell phones, and even massages. When they drifted past the food court, Kaede stared at it and pondered what she would eat later.

"Why so few words, symphonist?" Gundham asked, startling her as he suddenly appeared beside her. "Perhaps you're saying a prayer to your god?"

Her body tensed up, his words grating her every nerve. She continued to look forward as she walked, only keeping him in the corner of her eye. "I'm not," she replied sharply. "And if I was, you'd be interrupting me."

Gundham made no counter, and she saw his body retreat from her peripherals, likely returning to his position behind her. She couldn't fathom why he bothered to say that to her. Was that his attempt at small talk?

Kaede took a deep breath and tried to relax. Her mind began to wander, her eyes glazing over as the stores began to bleed together into an unrecognizable mass. She thought of her favorite pianists, of Debussy, Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, Bach. She wondered what they would do in a situation like this, then felt frustrated since she hadn't a clue of the answer. Perhaps they would retreat into their studies and compose their genius melodies, which only fueled Kaede's desire to return home to be with her piano.

The unwieldy trio eventually came upon the entrance of a large store, bringing Kaede's attention back to the moment. She looked up and read the name _"Midori Turf"_ , and from her vantage point it appeared to be a sporting goods store. They followed Sakura inside, taking in the bright summer colors of the walls, floors, and shelves, giving the whole place a warm and inviting atmosphere. The aisles were lined with gear related to baseball, swimming, tennis, and many other physical activities. Kaede cradled her arms, feeling out of place in such an establishment. She was reasonably fit, but she wasn't athletic by any means. She could imagine Sakura coming here often with the people she trained with.

"Feel free to look around," said Sakura. "I already know what I'm here for."

"I think I'll just stick with you," said Kaede halfheartedly.

"Indeed," added Gundham. "I'm not fond of the aura of this place, so I will rely on you for safe passage."

Kaede gave him a disapproving glance. Was it so hard for him to say _"No thanks, I'm fine"_ like a normal person?

Sakura appeared disappointed by their responses. She was probably hoping they'd show an interest in sports, but that lifestyle wasn't for Kaede, and it didn't take a genius to see that Gundham rarely ventured outdoors unless it related to animals.

They trailed behind Sakura as she walked through the aisles, none of them making an attempt at conversation. Their silence was filled in by the chatter from the other customers and the music from the speakers. Sakura stopped partway down an aisle towards the rear of the store and gazed at a display of small, red pouches along the bottom row of the shelf. She scanned them and soon picked up one towards the edge. When she shook it, there was a light jangling sound emanating from within.

"What are those?" asked Kaede.

"They're ankle weights," said Sakura. "I want to get some heavier ones." She crouched down and began fidgeting with the blue object around one of her ankles, pulling it off with the sound of tearing velcro. There were four pockets in it, from each of which Sakura pulled a small, gray bar. She then opened up the red pouch and dumped four slightly larger bars into her hand, placing each one into a pocket. She wrapped the completed blue weight holder back around her ankle, and repeated the process with her other side. She stood back up after finishing, lifting her legs up until her knees reached her chest.

Kaede was impressed at how easy Sakura made it all appear. She raised her own legs, but only made it as high as her stomach before an unpleasant pressure hit her thighs. She couldn't imagine how it felt to do that with extra weight on them. "How do they feel?"

"Suitable," she replied. "I won't be wearing them all day, though. It's not good to strain your muscles constantly without breaks."

Kaede nodded in agreement. "How much do they weigh?"

"Just now, it's twenty pounds around each leg."

Kaede's jaw dropped. _"T-twenty pounds?!_ Are you serious?!" Sakura merely gave her a knowing smirk as she continued to effortlessly raise her legs. "I can barely lift twenty pounds with my hands, let alone have it strapped to my body!"

Gundham was equally astonished, his pale face sporting a ghostly complexion. "To think a mere mortal is capable of such a feat," he remarked alarmingly. "This is unprecedented."

"My body doesn't look like this for nothing," said Sakura, unfazed by their reactions. "I jog everyday with these weights and sometimes keep them on during my downtime. Though since these are heavier, I won't be able to wear them for as long initially, so I'll need to show restraint."

 _Restraint_ clearly meant something different to Sakura than it did to Kaede. Yes, she understood that Sakura was far stronger than the average person, but to hear that she put herself through that much grueling activity everyday was still jarring. Her dedication to her talent rivaled even Kirumi's. Kaede herself never worked out, preferring to maintain her own physique by eating decently and walking around campus or her neighborhood whenever she could. Her forearms, hands, and fingers were the strongest parts of her body given how much time she spent playing the piano.

"Truly a frightening creature," muttered Gundham, holding his arms up in a mock battle stance. "I must use caution, lest she turn on me."

Apparently satisfied with their feel, Sakura dropped the older, smaller weights into the red pouch. "This is all I needed. Are we done here, then?"

Kaede and Gundham nodded, and they followed Sakura to the front counter where she made her purchase. She deposited the red pouch into her purse and they exited the store, stopping in the middle of the walkway.

"Are there any places you two need to visit?" asked Sakura.

"I can't think of anything, so maybe we can just walk around for a bit?" said Kaede. "I'm sure something will catch my eye."

They continued their way through the mall, and Kaede tried to convince herself that their ongoing silence wasn't unsettling. They did at least manage some sort of conversation back there, and she wanted that to count for something. But she wasn't convinced that it meant they were making progress. Despite how much they floundered at the diner last week, a discussion still came of it, so it wasn't something to find noteworthy about today. That meant that the current excursion yielded no highlights, and that thought upset her. Some hangout this was shaping up to be.

Her thoughts turned to Shuichi and his group. He may have won their bet, but she still didn't believe that his partners were worse than hers. She wanted to text him about anything, to at least have someone to interact with, but she knew it would be a bad idea. If she contacted him and dodged the subject, it would be a dead giveaway that she had given up. Shuichi continually expressed his belief that she could break down the barriers with her partners and she didn't want to disappoint him. She decided to suck it up and power through, and hope for something to come along that would turn everything around.

Kaede saw a store up ahead that snagged her attention. She halted before it and inspected the interior from the walkway, her limited view revealing a dusky, brooding environment. It was almost entirely black inside, and she could only make out a display of indecipherable glow-in-the-dark trinkets just through the entrance. The name of the store was " _Dark Matter"_ , and the gothic vibe from within was almost tangible from where she stood.

Figuring this was a good enough opportunity to socialize with her partners further, she looked to them and saw that they had continued walking on without her. "Hey, you guys, hold up! I think I found a place for Gundham!"

The two of them doubled back and glanced at the store. Kaede kept her eyes on Gundham as he studied the entrance with his typical furrowed brow and harsh eyes. She was a bit fearful that he would snap at her, loudly proclaiming something along the lines of _"How dare you attempt to understand me, the dark emperor of infinity?!",_ and attract the attention of every visitor and security guard in the area.

Gundham folded his arms and deepened his stare. "This place has an odor most foul, an atmosphere tainted by only the most disgraced souls." Then he smiled underneath his scarf. "I think I'll venture within." He turned to Kaede and chortled. "You may want to keep your distance, mortal. You lack the proper demonic prowess to survive in there."

Kaede glowered at him. "I'll be fine." She failed to see the need for such an unnecessary jab. Why was it so hard for him to simply agree with her and move on?

Sakura stepped in front of Kaede, standing between the two of them. "Then I will protect her while we're inside. I'm sure I'm more than a match for this place."

"Shielded by the ogre?" Gundham mused. "I suppose her abilities are adequate."

Kaede peered from behind Sakura. "What did you just call her?" She stormed up to him and slapped his wrist. "How _dare_ you say that to her?!"

Gundham flinched and grasped his wrist with his other hand. "Watch yourself, you fool! As I've said before, a deadly poison flows through my veins! If someone like you touches my skin—!"

"Oh my _god!"_ She was in no mood to hear this again. Without hesitation, she thrust her hand forward and grabbed his face, her fingers digging tightly into his cheeks.

"K-Kaede?!" exclaimed Sakura.

Gundham recoiled in shock, writhing beneath her grasp, his voice muffled against her palm. He gripped her arm and wrenched it off of himself, violently throwing it back at her.

"What do you think you're doing, you fiend?!" he bellowed venomously.

Kaede wouldn't let herself cower at his raised voice. She stood in place with her hands on her hips and wore an equally hostile look. "And what's gonna happen to me now? Am I poisoned? Am I gonna die or something?"

"Kaede, stop this—" Sakura pleaded, but her words went unheard.

Gundham held his arms up defensively. "What you just did was very stupid, symphonist. Laying your hands upon an Overlord such as myself—"

"You're the stupid one for calling people names!" Kaede shouted, clenching her now trembling fists. "I can't believe how rude you are!"

"Guys, please, don't—" chimed Sakura.

Gundham appeared positively disgusted. "There you go again with that word. You dare to call _me_ rude after you assaulted my visage?! Someone as insignificant as you does _not_ get to lecture the Overlord of—!"

"Oh, can it, Gundham!" Kaede responded with a fury like none she'd ever felt before, the idea of attracting unwanted attention now an eternity from her mind. "We're _people,_ not demons! You're not an overlord, stop calling me a symphonist, and how _dare_ you call Sakura an ogre?!"

Sakura's protests became more audible. "Kaede, please don't drag me into this. I don't need you getting angry on my behalf. The name 'ogre' doesn't bother me anymore, and Gundham is not the only one who's used it."

Kaede turned to her in disbelief. "That shouldn't matter! If you don't like it, then you shouldn't be called it! How can you be okay with that?!"

Gundham scoffed. "Hmph, to succumb to something as paltry as this. You would never survive in the higher realms."

Kaede gritted her teeth and violently swung her arms outwards. "Oh my god, stop talking like that! I can't believe I have to deal with this for another month! You are the absolute worst—!"

 _"ENOUGH,_ YOU TWO!"

Time stood still as Sakura's voice rang through the halls and left a lingering echo. Her foot slammed into the floor with a resounding _"WHAM!",_ with enough force to crack the tiles beneath her. Sakura was hunched over, her fists clenched tightly, her skin a deeper red than usual, her face contorted with white hot rage. With her colossal hands, she slapped them both on their backs and forcefully ushered them away from the entrance of the gothic store. She shoved them off to a long, secluded corridor that lead to the restrooms, stopping midway through it.

Sakura's usual stoicism and playful smirk were nowhere to be found. Her expression was scornful—lips pursed firmly, blue eyes veiled in mist, veins ferocious as lightning strikes. Not even the silly cartoon ninjas adorning her chest could detract from her terrifying form. "You two are acting like children and making a scene! Stop it right now!"

Kaede stood frozen beneath Sakura's intimidating presence. Her anger seemed to magnify her size two-fold, and Kaede felt like a tiny, insignificant mouse. Only her parents had scolded her like this before, but they paled in comparison to the beast before her.

"Honestly, I should've seen this coming," Sakura continued sternly. "It's obvious that you two didn't get over anything after you failed to apologize to each other earlier. Gundham, your nicknames are not sitting well with Kaede, so I suggest you stop using them with her. Kaede, I told you not to speak on my behalf, so please respect that. And for god's sake, do _not_ grab someone's face! You could've started a fight had it been with the wrong person!"

Kaede tried to look Sakura directly in the eyes, but she couldn't hold out against her irate stare. "I-I couldn't just stand there and do nothing. I h-had to say something." She wanted to stand her ground and sound determined, but her words manifested weakly.

"What's gotten into you, Kaede?" Sakura asked with a noticeably softer tone. "You haven't said anything pleasant to Gundham since he got here. Is this because of what I told you about him?"

Gundham's attention was peaked, and he looked at Kaede quizzically. "Hmm? Did something happen that concerned me?" His tone sounded no different, as if Sakura's discipline hadn't affected him at all.

Sakura nodded to him. "Kaede asked about how we knew each other, and I told her about… when I came to you for help last year."

Gundham averted his gaze, tugging his scarf to obscure his face. "Oh… I see."

"This clearly upset her, but I told her not to worry about it," said Sakura.

Gundham cleared his throat. "Is this true, symph—?" He paused for a moment, then continued. "Erm, is it?"

Kaede didn't know what to make of Gundham's face in that instant. She expected to be met with a look of irritation, but his expression actually conveyed… insecurity? A hint of fear, perhaps? But despite Sakura's earlier praises, Kaede didn't feel that her supposed detective prowess was reliable right now. A mix of emotions swirled in the pit of her stomach, and she found it difficult to answer him. She clutched her arms tightly and lowered her head, letting herself be swallowed by a wave of fragility and embarrassment.

Sakura spoke up. "I appreciate your feelings, Kaede, but that is an issue between myself and Gundham. It's not something you should be angry with him about."

Kaede sniffled. Tears welled up in her eyes and flowed down her cheeks, cascading off of her chin and falling to the floor. She tried to wipe them away, and took short, uneven breaths as her chest began to feel heavier.

"K-Kaede, what's wrong?" asked Sakura as she stepped towards her.

The weight of Sakura's mighty hand fell upon her shoulder. She scrambled to dry her eyes before she looked at her, her vision blurry from the moisture. Gundham came into view beside her, though he kept his distance.

"What calls for this display, mor—?" He cut himself off again, pretending to cough into his scarf.

Kaede could no longer look either of them in the eyes. There was no possibility of surviving the rest of their summer break under these conditions. She felt exposed, humiliated even, for getting into a fight with one of her upperclassmen, for getting scolded by another, and for having the audacity to cry before them. She felt no more an Ultimate than a small, insignificant child. She wanted to run away right then, to go straight home where her grand piano awaited, and play the gloomiest melody she could imagine. Anything else would've been better than where she was right now.

Sakura gently shook Kaede's shoulder, causing her head to wobble. "Kaede, please talk to us. I understand you're upset, but please say something. I don't like seeing my friends in distress."

Kaede pushed Sakura's hand off of her. "I'm sorry, but I don't think it's possible for us to be friends." She sniffled and tried to cover her face. "I can barely talk to either of you about anything. There's no way we can be friends, and there's no way we'll get this project done."

"Don't say that, Kaede," said Sakura with concern. "You need to keep your spirits up. Yes, we've hit some roadblocks, but we'll overcome them and see this through."

"How?!" she snapped, now scowling at Sakura. "We have nothing in common! Our talents have nothing to do with each other! Anything we do together is going to be terrible! I can't put up with this anymore!"

"Now see here, morta—!" Gundham stopped short once more, clearing his throat into his fist. "Am I correct in hearing that you're giving up? What kind of nonsense is that?! Such talk is unfitting of an Ultimate!"

She refused to acknowledge him. It didn't matter what either of them said. There was nothing they could do to make the situation better. She was ready to cut the day short, to call her mom and tell her to come pick her up.

"He's right, you know," said Sakura. "We can't give up so easily. It's true we're having difficulties, but we can still come out of this on top. Maybe we won't become best friends in the process, but I know we can push through this."

"Please just stop, Sakura," said Kaede, dispirited. "I don't wanna be here anymore. I'm going home." She turned around and began to walk up the corridor, when suddenly a hand grasped her shoulder.

"Now listen here, symphon—!" Gundham swore under his breath as he stopped himself yet again.

His voice grated her, but she lacked the energy to shrug him away. She stood in place and stared blankly up the narrow corridor, not daring to face him. She would let him say his final futile words, then walk away for good.

"You cease this ridiculous chatter at once!"

Three.

"If you encounter an obstacle, then you use your might to destroy it, not shrivel away in cowardice!"

Two.

"Retreating now is an affront to what we stand for as Ultimates!"

One.

"Now lift your head back up and face this… _Kaede."_

Zer—

Kaede's breath caught in her throat. The wheels in her mind began to turn, sending everything she'd heard into a colorless frenzy that ached her, and always coming to a complete stop at his final word. It came so unexpectedly that she became unsure of what had actually transpired. When she turned around to face him, she saw him surprisingly downcast, his usual glare missing despite the severity of his tone. It was impossible for her to read him in that moment.

"W-what…?" was all she managed to say.

Gundham shushed her, taking his hand off her shoulder and holding it before her face. "Indeed, you heard correctly. Must I repeat myself?" he said. "Very well, then. Do not let this be the reason you fall... _Kaede."_

"G-Gundham?" The emphasis of her name was clear, and it sounded difficult for him just to speak it. She tried to look past his hand and into his eyes, but he turned away before she could.

Sakura approached them. "Kaede, Gundham sounded sincere right now. Is there anything you'd like to say to him?"

Kaede wasn't sure what to make of this. The mood had shifted so much over the past few minutes that it was scrambling her mind. First it was tense, then outright hostile, then frightening, then somber, and now… what? Remorseful?

"Hmph, very well, I'll continue then," said Gundham. "You... do not like the names, is it? Then I will... solely refer to you... by the one bestowed upon you... at birth." He was clearly choosing his words carefully. "Does this suit you?"

Kaede was speechless. For the first time, Gundham actually sounded genuine, and it was throwing her off. Her goal may have been to befriend her partners today, but she now realized that she was never truly willing to give Gundham a chance. He was too eccentric for her and she considered it a lost cause. But seeing him how he was now—standing before her and making an effort—made him a little more of an _Ultimate_ in her mind. He deserved a response and she needed to be forthright.

"Um, y-yeah. 'Kaede' is just fine," she said with a struggle. "I don't like being called a demon, or even a composer or a symphonist, for that matter. I haven't written anything of my own, so it's inappropriate to call me that."

"I-I see…" He took a deep breath. "Though I imagine, as the Ultimate Pianist, your goal is to one day do just that?"

"W-well… y-yes, eventually!" Kaede enjoyed talking about the piano, so she attempted to sound enthusiastic even with Gundham. "So far, I've made a living playing other peoples' music, but I wanna make something of my own one day."

"Then I shall wait for that day to bestow upon you those titles, if that pleases you," he said. "I… apologize… for calling you otherwise."

Kaede was still shaken by the display. She wanted to recognize his efforts, as it would be obvious to anyone that he was stepping beyond his comfort zone, but just the fact that it was _Gundham_ still made her even a little bit suspicious of his intentions. However, she knew that if things were to get better between them, she needed to bury her doubts and acknowledge him.

She nodded at him and attempted a smile. "Thank you, Gundham. And I'm sorry for not saying hi to you when you got here. Oh, a-and for grabbing your face!" She scratched her head and grinned, hoping to lighten the mood. "I swear I don't normally lose my temper like that, but…" She shook her head. "It doesn't matter why. I shouldn't have done that."

"The Overlord of Ice is forgiving," he said with a smirk. "As he is respectful to the wishes of others."

Sakura cleared her throat and chimed in. "While we're on the subject of nicknames, Gundham, I wanted to let you know where the term 'ogre' comes from. While it doesn't bother me as it used to, the fact is that it started as an insult. People made fun of me because of my less than feminine body type. To combat that, I informally adopted the term so it could no longer be used against me. It's something I've moved past, but do understand what it means when you call me an ogre."

Gundham squirmed. "Oh, I see… erm, Sakura."

He sounded so unnatural saying that. Sakura picked up on it, as she followed up with, "However, you may continue to call me a demon. I'm okay with it, strangely enough. Maybe I feel it compliments my prowess."

Kaede placed her palm over her heart, breathing a sigh of relief. Things seemed to be simmering down between the three of them. "Hey guys, why don't we start over?" She reached her hand out to Sakura. "Hi, Sakura, it's nice to see you today."

Sakura shook her hand, thankfully with a meager amount of force. "Likewise, Kaede. What a nice day we're having in this—" she looked up at the ceiling "—poorly lit bathroom hallway. Gundham, I hope you're doing well."

"Indeed," he spoke. "As I said, I rose from my slumber with good omens for today."

"Hey, Gundham, I'm glad you could make it," said Kaede as she offered her hand to him. He was hesitant to accept it, apparently sticking to his "poisonous skin" routine, which was an oddity considering he had placed his hand on her shoulder earlier. If she questioned him about it, he would probably say that her clothes acted as a natural barrier or something. Instead of being frustrated with this, Kaede retracted her hand and lowered her head into a slight bow, thinking that a self-proclaimed overlord would find this acceptable. And indeed he did, for he returned the gesture with utmost seriousness.

"The feeling is mutual, Kaede," he said. "Though I must say that these pleasantries are making my stomach turn. I'm not one for flowers and rainbows. Shall we recommence today's festivities?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed, actually feeling more comfortable with them. "Let's go back to that scary store. I wanna see what's inside."

The three of them began their stroll out of the cramped restroom corridor, moving at a moderate pace. Sakura piped up. "Since we're essentially starting from square one, then Kaede, shouldn't you repeat what you said about Gundham's blog?"

Kaede froze as if she had forgotten her lines in a school play, a glaring spotlight trapping her on stage and blanking her mind. Gundham was eyeing her inquisitively, and Sakura's mouth turned up in ghoulish amusement.

"Hmm? What's this about my blog?" he asked.

"Oh, w-well, I, uh, kinda started reading it," she replied apprehensively.

"I-I see…" he said solemnly, his head drooping, likely believing that Kaede would hate it purely because they hadn't been getting along.

"It's really good, Gundham," Kaede said as warmly as possible. "You're really detailed about the animals. It's like you were living right there with them!"

His mood reversed on a dime, his eyes almost lighting up. "There is truth in that, symph—" He pretended to gag. "—Kaede. I do spend time in the wild with some of the creatures as it allows me to understand them better. For others, I would consult an expert, usually for species native beyond our borders." His deep voice would've sounded the same to the untrained ear, but Kaede could hear the faint trace of enthusiasm behind his words.

"Quite impressive," said Sakura. "It's clear why the school chose you as the Ultimate Breeder. I had no idea you actually lived with them."

"It can be taxing sometimes, but it's necessary if I'm to write about them accurately," he replied. "I cannot be called an Ultimate with no field experience."

"That's true," said Kaede. "I guess we all have some experience in the real world when it comes to our talents. I've had my recitals and competitions, Sakura's had her tournaments, and you've lived in the wilderness. I'm glad I got to learn that about you, Gundham."

"I-Indeed." He swallowed nervously, clearly still put off by their newfound amiability. "Shall we venture into that dark abyss, then? I think we're all ready for that."

Kaede nodded, glad that most of the tension had dissipated. The possibility of enjoying herself today soared tenfold, provided they could maintain this level of civility. However, the bothersome devil of doubt remained ever so present in the back of her mind, telling her that they weren't out of the woods yet. Cordiality aside, they still had yet to establish common ground with each other, so keeping up interesting conversation would still prove a challenge. Kaede at least was willing to try now, so she pushed the little devil away and focused on enjoying the moment.

They slowly made their way back over to the store, this time side-by-side rather than single file. "Thanks for the pep talk, Sakura," said Kaede shyly. "I'm sorry for getting mad on your behalf."

"It's alright, Kaede," she said. "Do understand that what happened between Gundham and I should not concern you, so I don't want you stressing yourself over it. And Gundham, don't think too much about it, either. I've moved past it. Let's just get along and see this project through."

"Very well," he replied.

Kaede chuckled. "You know, Sakura, we should call you the Team Mom. You're pretty good at it." This amused Gundham.

Sakura faltered. "W-well, I think the 'Mom' part is a bit far-fetched seeing as I'm not the oldest one here, but I'll still take that as a compliment. Nekomaru taught me some disciplinary tactics."

"Well, you're a natural at it," said Kaede.

"I'll tell you what, you can call me the Team Mom when you allow Gundham to call you a symphonist."

"Deal!" said Kaede with elation, though she had no desire to shake with her on it.

After a few moments, they once again found themselves standing before the entrance to _Dark Matter_. Kaede steeled herself as she looked to her companions, acting as if another dimension awaited them upon crossing the threshold. With a nod from Gundham, they walked in simultaneously.

The store was exactly as Kaede imagined it to be. The walls were a pitch black canvas with streaks of purple and gray painted on in a haphazard manner. The dim lighting made it almost impossible to tell where the walls turned a corner. A foggy haze flowed throughout, blurring Kaede's vision and adding to the mysterious atmosphere. Many dark-colored clothes and accessories lined the shelves, some of them glowing in the dark. Much of the apparel had some form of decoration, such as a hardcore phrase embroidered on it or dangling chains and spikes. Kaede could envision Gundham having the time of his life here, getting lost amongst the darkness and bragging about his exploits to the staff.

They walked down a random aisle in the middle of the store. Kaede soon spied a group of baseball hats hanging together, one of which had the words _"_ _ICE KING"_ embroidered in large, bold, blue letters. She tapped Gundham's shoulder and pointed at it. "Hey, check this out. Isn't this kinda what you call yourself?"

"What I call myself? If you are referring to my moniker as the 'Overlord of Ice', then you are mistaken. I did not choose the title, it was bestowed upon me at my birth by the Gods themselves." He picked up the hat and examined it. "But I'm afraid a king is lesser than an overlord, and thus this is ill-suited for me!"

Kaede rolled her eyes. "Really? What's the difference?"

"Bold of you to ask such a question in my presence," he said. "To explain it would take far too much time, I'm afraid. The differences may appear subtle, but it's deeper than you think, I assure you."

"Okay, name one difference," pressed Kaede.

Gundham hesitated. His cheeks turned rosy and he pulled his scarf up. "A-anyway, let's not get caught up with semantics."

Checkmate. "You know what, you're right. It's not the words that matter, it's the _look._ Come on, try it on."

"Surely, you jest," he remarked, appalled. "My reputation would be tarnished if I were seen in something so ridiculous."

"Yes, I'm sure your reputation as an _animal breeder_ would crumble from wearing a hat that says _'ICE KING'."_ When he narrowed his eyes at her, her response was to scrunch her face and give her best pout. "Please? For me?"

Gundham sighed dramatically. "Fine, if it'll please you." He grabbed the hat from off the shelf and ungracefully plopped it onto his crown.

"Er, hang on…" Kaede began to reach for his head, but then stopped herself. "Oh, may I?"

Gundham smirked and nodded, and she reached up and adjusted the hat, patting it down so that it rested snug on his head. She stepped back and admired her handiwork, and had to cover her mouth to stifle her laughter. The brim of the hat was so low that it nearly hid his eyes, and he resembled even more of a troubled, rebellious youth. He reminded her of Shuichi back when he used to wear that annoying hat that had shadowed much of his handsome face.

"Wow, you look so… depressing," she said through a snort.

He closed his eyes and huffed, making no attempt to remove the hat. "Is that good or bad?"

"Let's get another opinion. Hey, Sakura!" Kaede noticed her further up the aisle, her white tendrils of hair standing out against the dimness of the store. Upon hearing her name, she walked back over to them. "What do you think?"

Sakura eyed Gundham, a snort escaping her. "It's charming. So you have a new title, then?"

"Do not mock me, mortal," he snarled. "The Overlord of Ice will not be made a fool of!"

"It does suit you, though," said Sakura. "Perhaps we should get a picture to commemorate your coronation."

"Do as you please, though I refuse the label. Overlord is far grander than king."

"It sure is, and for a myriad of reasons, too," mocked Kaede, enjoying Gundham's scowling. "You wouldn't _believe_ just how different they are."

"You shall know no peace in the afterlife, Kaede," he said.

With a shrug of her shoulders, Kaede began digging through her purse until she pulled out her phone. She quickly snapped a picture of him, needing to turn the flash on because of how dark it was. Gundham blinked excessively after being blinded by the bright light. She held her phone up to Sakura to admire her handiwork.

"Sonia would probably like this," Sakura stated to Gundham. "You should show it to her."

Kaede saw Gundham blush, and she couldn't help her immediate intrusion of his personal space. "Oh, who's Sonia?" There was no attempt to mask her excitement. Gundham could only manage a strange grunt, and he backed away from her.

"She's one of his classmates," answered Sakura in his stead. "Her title is the Ultimate Princess."

Kaede racked her brain for a moment, a thought finally popping in. "Oh, now that I think about it, I've seen you walking around campus with a girl. Long blonde hair, right?" He nodded in reply. "So what's the story?"

He stammered heavily. "Th-there is no story there, mor—Kaede! C-cease your flights of fancy at once!"

Kaede didn't need detective skills to hear the falsity in his words. "Really? I mean, now that I recall, I've definitely seen you two together a lot—walking around campus, the cafeteria. You're telling me nothing's going on?"

With a discomforted look, Gundham turned around and continued down the aisle. Kaede and Sakura glanced at each other with amusement before dashing to keep in stride with him. He seemed to ignore that he was still wearing the hat, but she didn't dare to point that out. Any further grumbling he made would only become funnier with it still on his head.

"To answer your question, pianist," he finally said, "you're having delusions of grandeur. It is only natural for the Overlord of Ice to confer with the Dark Queen."

Kaede saw the opportunity to pounce. "Wait, isn't she a princess? Now she's suddenly your queen?"

He snickered in triumph. "Of course. I'm the one who bestowed upon her such a title. She was quite grateful."

Kaede was pleased that he didn't refute her comment about Sonia being _his_ queen. "But wait, don't you need to be married to be a queen? I assumed she was your girlfriend, but I guess she's actually your—"

"S-stop right there!" Gundham choked and recoiled. "What are you trying to insinuate?!"

"I think you know exactly what I'm insinuating," responded Kaede with an evil grin. "Right, Sakura?"

"I'm no stranger to dating, so of course I understand," she stated. "Gundham seems appropriately flustered, so it's clear there's something there. Maybe you should get a gift for Sonia in here. I'm sure we could find a tiara or something else with clever wordplay on it to match your hat."

Kaede groaned. Sakura just _had_ to point out that he was still wearing it. Before he could make a move to rid himself of it, Kaede grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him around the corner to the next aisle. "Yeah, you should totally get her something!" She scanned the shelves and immediately found a row of t-shirts, all of which were either black, purple, or dark blue. There were phrases inscribed upon all of them, but what caught her eyes were the ones that said _"chan in the streets—sama in the sheets"._ "Like these!"

"Don't you think that's a little too suggestive?" asked Sakura as she studied the garments.

Kaede shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, I don't know the nature of their relationship."

"I don't think they're dating," Sakura stated matter-of-factly.

Gundham sneered. "You say that with such certainty. Not that it's any of your business, but how would you know?"

"You're right, it's not my business, but I'm sure it's true," she replied. "Sonia and Hina are friends, so sometimes I'll overhear their conversations if I'm around. She's mentioned you plenty of times."

Gundham perked up. "O-oh?"

"Yes, and she sounds happy when she talks about you," said Sakura. "But… she's never used the word 'boyfriend' or 'significant other' or anything else of the sort, so I assumed you two weren't dating. Am I correct?"

Gundham cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure. "S-so she talks about me? What exactly were her words?"

Sakura's face became rigid. "I can't tell you that. A conversation between women must remain private. You'll have to ask Sonia about it."

Kaede noted the glint of sadness that briefly took hold of Gundham. She moved closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Well, do you like her?" she asked.

"I-I'm an overlord!" he stammered, freeing himself of her grasp and backing up against the shelf. "I do not _'like'_ people! I merely tolerate their presence so they can serve my needs!"

Kaede eyed him with pity. "Gundham, come on…"

His head fell to the floor, the lower half of his face obscured by his scarf. "W-well, it would be a great big folly. Sonia belongs to a royal family, so I'm sure she has more important things—"

"Oh, stuff it!" Kaede stomped the floor and wagged her finger at him. "Forget about royalty! She's a student, same as you and me. I'm sure she has time for dating. If you like her, you should ask her out. Right, Sakura?"

"I've been in your shoes, Gundham, and I have no reason to lie to you about this," she said. "My boyfriend and I would not be together if neither of us acted upon our feelings. Sonia is fond of you, so if you're interested, then I encourage you to go for it."

"Yeah, and Sakura has, like, the greatest romance story of all time!" Kaede raised her fist in the air, hoping the store's dark atmosphere would mask her shenanigans. "Two martial artists coming together and feeling a spark every time they exchange blows!"

Gundham snickered. "Oh, is that so? I wasn't aware that you were… spoken for."

Sakura smiled warmly, a contrast so stark from her serious persona that she looked like a completely different person. "Yes, Kenshiro is a passionate man, both in the arena and in our relationship. I feel better about myself when I'm with him."

Kaede pointed at Sakura. "You see that, Gundham? That could be you and Sonia. You should definitely go for it. The Overlord and the Princess. What could be cuter than that?"

Sakura bellowed. "You're certainly quite the romantic, Kaede. But perhaps Gundham would understand better if you led by example. You can't push him this hard while ignoring your own story. Perhaps you'd like to share how _you_ plan to pursue _your_ best friend?"

"W-what?! You mean me and Sh-Shuichi?!" She tried her hardest to feign her surprise. "The th-thought hadn't occurred to me!"

Sakura tilted her head knowingly. "Oh, sweet child, you're really going to pull that with me? I've been in your shoes before, and I recognized that flutter in your voice when you spoke of him earlier. You clearly love him, and you don't need to hide that."

Kaede tugged a fistful of her hair. She darted her eyes between the items lining the shelves. "W-well, I think 'love' might be too strong a word. I… I do have a c-crush on him, yes, and I care about him a lot."

She heard Gundham scoff. "Hmph, you had the nerve to get on my case when you had the same dilemma? Hypocritical, don't you think?"

"Well, at least I wasn't stubborn about admitting it," she retorted.

Gundham was flabbergasted. "Y-You _just_ tried to deny it! You were absolutely being stubborn!"

"Alright, alright, you win!" Kaede pouted. "We're in the same boat, okay? It's really frustrating because I don't know how he feels about me. We hangout a lot and we've had some… _'moments',_ I guess, but I don't know. Maybe he likes me, but I might just be reading too much into it."

"But do you think it's… worth the risk?" asked Gundham.

"I don't know. If I'm wrong, it could mess up our friendship."

"But if you're right, then you and he would be getting what you want," said Sakura. "It's clear how important he is to you, so you should follow your feelings. It's better to know than to always wonder. Perhaps you should introduce him to Gundham. He might be able to tell when a man has an interest in a female friend, as he's one himself." She snickered.

"Laugh it up while you still can, mortal!" wailed Gundham. "Once this project ends, the Overlord of Ice will have his vengeance!"

Kaede burst out laughing, hunching over and grasping her sides. "Don't you mean the _Ice King?!"_

Gundham peered up at the hat still upon his head, outrage overtaking him. He yanked it off and stalked down the aisle, disappearing around the corner. After a moment, he came back hatless, his hands threading through his multi-colored hair to shape it back to normal.

"Aww, you're not gonna buy it?" His only response was his coldest stare yet. "You should still show it to Sonia. I'll send you the pic." She swiftly pulled her phone back out of her purse and texted Gundham.

They browsed around the store for a few more minutes, discovering some questionable and distasteful items, but none of them decided to get anything. Gundham seemed content with his time within, the affair with the hat notwithstanding, and Kaede wouldn't have been surprised if he returned on his own one day.

When they exited the store, the return of bright light gave Kaede a sudden positive vibe. "Wow, guys, I can't believe we actually found something in common back there! We're on a quest for romance! Well, Sakura's already made it, so she's more like the sage who gives us guidance. A weird place to find that, though, don't you think?"

Gundham bellowed. "You're quite right, Kaede! An amusing turn of events, indeed! The void brings out all manner of truths!"

Kaede didn't feel bothered by his unique terminology. Now that their animosity was falling to the wayside, she was beginning to find his manner of speech endearing. It was clear to her that his grandiose persona was a result of self-consciousness. His boasts were loud, but deep down he harbored insecurities just like anyone else. He seemed unaware of the impact his words could have, though, but she was beginning to see that he never meant any harm by them.

"I'm getting kind of hungry," said Kaede as she rubbed her empty stomach. "Do you guys wanna get lunch?"

"That's fine with me," replied Sakura. "We can use the time to brainstorm our project."

Kaede shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose we can try it again." Though she had promised Shuichi she'd avoid the project and focus solely on friendship, she figured it couldn't hurt to revisit it now that they were actually getting along. Bouncing ideas off of each other wouldn't be as much of a struggle... hopefully.

They began to walk in the direction of the food court, and Kaede pulled her phone back out. "Oh, by the way, I have something to show you guys. I emailed the headmaster about our project, and he responded with some good news!"

Sakura eyed her with concern. "Why did you feel the need to do that? We haven't thought of what to do, yet."

Kaede waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry, it wasn't about what we're doing. I just asked him if we could do it on a certain day, is all. What we decide to do is still up to us. Here, check it out." She opened up the email chain and passed her phone to Sakura, who stopped in her tracks along with Gundham in order to read it.

" _Hello Mr. Kirigiri,_

 _My name is Akamatsu Kaede, and I'm a student in Class 79 at Hope's Peak Academy. I heard that there's a party on September 6 to start off the next term, and I was wondering if it could be pushed back to the next day. Saihara Shuichi is a friend of mine and is in my class, and his birthday is on September 7, so it would be nice if he could have a party to celebrate. It wouldn't need to be any different from how it would normally be, just one day later. Would this be possible?_

 _Also, since we need to have our group projects ready by then, can my group present ours at the party? Thank you, Mr. Kirigiri, and I hope to hear from you soon._

 _Oh, and Shuichi doesn't need to know about this. It'll be a surprise._

 _Akamatsu Kaede  
_ _Ultimate Pianist_

 _P.S. Shuichi tells me that he's friends with your daughter, Kyoko. Would she be willing to participate in a scavenger hunt that I'll prepare for him on his birthday? It has nothing to do with the project, it's just some extra fun to be had."_

They continued to stare at her phone with no reaction, and the overlong silence began to amplify her nerves. "Uhh, did you check his response, yet? It's good, I swear." At that, Sakura flicked her finger across the screen, and she and Gundham poured over it again.

After what felt like another eternity of silence, Sakura finally spoke. "Hmmm, at least he said yes."

Kaede perked up. "Yeah, see? I figured if we gave ourselves a hard date, it'd be easier for us to focus on getting it done."

"A sound theory," said Gundham. "But I would've preferred that you discussed this with us before informing the Overseer of our intentions."

"Well, I'm willing to look past it, at least in this case," said Sakura as she handed the phone back to Kaede. "We would've had to present at some point when the term started, so Kaede scheduling a date without our knowledge isn't a real detriment." She then gave Kaede a cheeky smile. "Though let's confer about everything with each other from here on, okay?"

Kaede nodded. "Definitely. Sorry about that, guys."

They continued to walk in the direction of the food court, and Gundham eventually said, "A birthday party and a scavenger hunt for your heart's desire? Perhaps this is the ' _plan'_ that you were goaded about?"

"I-I'm not sure yet." She frowned. "It would be a good time to confess to him, but… I don't know."

"There's no need to feel pressured, dear," said Sakura. "I'm here to help if you need advice."

"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it." She managed a smile.

"You're putting so much effort into pleasing him," said Gundham. "I'm now curious as to who he is. Perhaps I will test his demonic abilities."

"Since we'll be showing our project at his birthday party, I agree it would be a good idea to know him at least somewhat," said Sakura.

"Really? You guys wanna meet him?" She nearly jumped for joy. "Definitely!"

Gundham then pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and looked at it. After a moment, he sighed heavily.

"What's up?" asked Kaede.

"It's Sonia. I showed her the picture of that embarrassing garment on my head…" He sighed again. "She said it looked… adorable."

Kaede burst out laughing. "I guess that means you have to buy it now!" When her laughter subsided, she began to text Shuichi.

" _Hey, Shu! We hit some rough patches, but we're starting to get along! I'll give you all the details later, but for now, I'm actually enjoying myself! Thanks for having confidence in me."_

* * *

Kaede flew down the slide at top speed and plunged into the pool with a great big splash. The chilly waters made her shiver, but it soon subsided into a refreshing blanket around her heated body. She rose to the surface and pulled her hair out of her eyes, turning around to face the slide just as Shuichi began barreling down it. When he neared the bottom, their eyes briefly met before Kaede sent a big splash his way. He winced as his face was struck, causing him to crash into the pool like a car crashes into a railing.

Kaede shielded herself as the water from his splash fell over her. She giggled when Shuichi's head emerged with an annoyed look. He tried to maintain it, but he soon lost himself to a fit of laughter, causing Kaede to lose control along with him.

"Look out, you guys!" came a voice from above. They looked up just as Asahina Aoi, clad in a navy blue one piece bathing suit, propelled down the slide like a bullet. Before they could react, she slammed into the pool, causing a gigantic splash that smacked Kaede and Shuichi right in their faces. "Ha ha, got ya!" she said with a chuckle.

Kaede rubbed the water out of her eyes and looked to Shuichi. They gave each other a smirk as they assaulted Hina with waves of their own.

The Ultimate Swimming Pro tried to shield herself with her arms, but she wasn't quick enough. "Hey, two against one! Not fair!" She retaliated by splashing them back, and an intense battle began to take form.

Before it could get too far, though, the lifeguard at the top of the slide blew his whistle. He pointed to the stairs behind them, indicating for them to get out of the pool. As they made their way out, Kaede saw the impatient look of the person waiting at the front of the line for the slide. She gave an awkward, apologetic smile to them as she climbed out of the water.

Kaede shook her head, her hair whipping from side to side as loose drops sprayed around her. She suddenly felt a pair of fingers glide along her armpit, causing her to shriek involuntarily. She held her arms around her body defensively as she spun around to see Shuichi standing there with an evil grin, his arm outstretched toward her.

"Don't do that, Shu!" she yelled as she lightly shoved his chest.

"That's for splashing me in the face on my way down," he said. "Payback, Kaede."

The pianist could only exhale rapidly. She wanted to retort, but she couldn't deny his words.

"You two are adorable," said Hina with a snicker.

Kaede peered at her, then turned back to meet Shuichi's eyes. She saw a faint trace of red in his cheeks, and her face began to feel warm, too. "Uh, what do you mean?"

Hina smiled at them. "I wish Sakura was as energetic as you two."

"Uhh… oh," Kaede said with a sigh of relief. "Well, as a martial artist, I'm pretty sure she's always energetic."

"I meant in the fun way." Hina pouted. "I love her, but she definitely wouldn't do anything 'kiddie' like tickling."

"Don't worry, Hina, we'll get her to loosen up," said Kaede. "Won't we, Shu?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, uhh, definitely," he muttered, clearly not paying attention. Kaede rolled her eyes at him.

"Speaking of Sakura, let's go back and see if she's ready," said Hina.

"Okay!" exclaimed Kaede as they made their way through the park.

It was a cloudy day, the humidity high and the air muggy and disgusting. The forecast had predicted rain later on. Despite that, the water park was still decently crowded with families and groups of teenagers. It was a popular summer spot and had many attractions, including a large all-purpose swimming pool, a wave pool, a lazy river, multiple eateries, and a variety of tall, multi-colored winding water slides.

It was a few days after Kaede's excursion at the mall with her partners, and they had agreed to go to the water park together. The original purpose was just so they could meet Shuichi, but they decided to extend the invitation to others. Sakura invited Hina, whom Kaede had also seen around campus in the past, and whom she officially met today at the park's entrance. Gundham was bringing Sonia, though the two of them hadn't arrived yet.

Kaede was initially nervous about this gathering. While she had managed to find a stride with Sakura and Gundham at the mall, she worried that it might have been a fluke, and that even the slightest disagreement between them would trigger the malcontent once again. However, her fears subsided when she met Hina, whose bubbly personality and easygoing nature were infectious and instantly put Kaede at ease. She immediately wanted to become good friends with Hina. She hoped to find the same thing with Sonia, though if Gundham was interested in her romantically, Kaede could only wonder what kind of person she was.

They finally found their way back to their resting area, which was next to the wave pool. They had a pair of white sun loungers with a small round table between them, which had an umbrella protruding from it. Only their towels were present, as they had rented lockers to put their valuables.

Sakura was standing next to one of the sun loungers, applying sunscreen to her arms. Unlike the others, Sakura didn't arrive at the park in her swimwear, and thus had gone to the restrooms to change while Kaede, Shuichi, and Hina went to the slide. Most of Sakura's rippling red body was exposed, with only a white bikini and a matching pair of bottoms covering her. It looked completely unnatural on her, especially when standing next to Hina in her tight, form-fitting swimsuit. Her blue ankle weight wrappings were absent, a relaxing training-free afternoon clearly at the forefront of her mind.

"Hey, Sakura! Looking great!" Hina shouted with a wave. "Want me to get your back?"

"Of course, just let me finish, first," replied Sakura as Hina went to stand behind her. "I see you three have already enjoyed the water."

"Kaede literally dragged us to the slide as soon as we parted ways," said Shuichi.

"Don't act like you didn't wanna go," Kaede said with a huff. "I saw that look of excitement on your face." Shuichi awkwardly glanced away, and she grinned with victory.

"Though I think we can agree that I won the water slide contest," chimed Hina in a sing-song manner.

"No one said that was a contest!" said Kaede. "If it was, I would've won, for sure!" Hina snickered at her.

"By the way, Kaede, Gundham texted us saying that he and Sonia were here," Sakura said in her usual polite and dignified tone. "I told them where to find us."

Kaede managed a smile. Despite her reservations, she was still looking forward to seeing Gundham. Her interactions with him today would give closure as to whether or not they could truly be friends.

As she absentmindedly stared at Sakura applying sunscreen to her legs, a thought suddenly hit Kaede. "Oh, right! Sunscreen!" She smacked her forehead. "I completely forgot to do that!"

"You didn't put any on at home?" asked Shuichi.

"It's so cloudy out, I guess it slipped my mind," she said as she scratched her head awkwardly. "I should probably still put some on."

"Look who's a doof, now," said Shuichi with a chuckle, prompting Kaede to swat his arm.

She grabbed an extra sunscreen bottle off the table when an idea began to form. She turned to Shuichi and said in her sweetest tone, "Shu, would you mind putting some on my back for me?"

She reveled in his response: eyes widening and cheeks blushing furiously. "U-um, s-sure, Kaede," he stammered.

She smirked at his flustered state. Ever since Sakura encouraged her to follow her feelings, she had become increasingly affectionate with him over the past few days. She started off small in scope, such as using more emojis than usual in her texts, prioritizing winking faces with an occasional heart thrown into the mix. She then upped the ante with their physical interactions, such as letting their hugs last longer and lightly brushing their arms together whenever they passed each other.

While it was hard to ascertain the feelings of the somewhat stoic detective, Kaede still had some confidence that Shuichi was mutually attracted to her. He didn't question her sudden increase in their physical relationship, and she even noticed his eyes linger on her when she appeared before him in her swimsuit today. She was wearing a bright pink one piece that hugged her curves, showed off her ample cleavage, and exposed her arms, legs, and back. She didn't typically wear anything tight and revealing as it reminded her of Miu's scantily clad wardrobe, but she was willing to put her body on display if it meant holding Shuichi's attention.

Kaede couldn't help but steal glances at him, too. He was only wearing a pair of blue swim trunks, and his body was somewhat toned, his biceps in particular wielding faint outlines of muscle. She ate him up like candy and wished he went without a shirt more often. Normally, Kaede would've been surprised that someone who seemed to do nothing but read and type on his computer all day was fit, but it all made sense when she caught him practicing martial arts when she went to his house yesterday. She regretted her uncontrollable burst of laughter upon seeing him, but it was such an odd thing to stumble upon that she couldn't help it. It did give her an opportunity to feel his muscles and lightly flirt with him, which he seemed to appreciate. The image of his shirt clinging to his sweaty body was also a plus. The mere memory of it made her giggle and swoon, and she hoped to tell Sakura about it at some point.

When she handed Shuichi the bottle of sunscreen, she spied one last nervous glance from him before she turned around, excitement plastered all over her face. She sat down on the edge of one of the sun loungers, closed her eyes, and took deep breaths as she anticipated his firm hands upon her body. Her eyes then snapped open as a loud sound rang out nearby.

"Tah! Tah! Tah!"

Kaede turned her head and saw a peculiar sight: Hina was smacking Sakura's back with her palms, shouting every time she made contact.

"Tah!" _WHAP!_ "Tah!" _WHAP!_ "Tah!" _WHAP!_

Kaede stared in bewilderment. Sakura was hunched forward, her hands balled up into fists, exhaling with each hit to her back. She didn't seem at all fazed by Hina's attacks.

"Tah! Tah! Tah! Tah!" Hina continued.

She then stopped and began gently rubbing Sakura's back in circles. The faint traces of white liquid told Kaede that she had been applying sunscreen to her back the whole time.

"How was that?" asked Hina.

"You're improving," replied Sakura, "though two of your strikes were fairly weak. Did you bend your wrists incorrectly?"

Hina stuck her tongue out. "So you noticed that? Yeah, I messed up a few times."

"But the mistakes were fewer, so well done."

Kaede smiled warmly at their cute display. She loved to witness best friends getting along with each other.

"So do you want me to do it like that?" came Shuichi's voice from behind her.

Kaede turned her head to face him, sporting a horrific expression. "Oh god, please don't. I don't want my skin to look like a crushed tomato."

"I can do it gently. You saw me practicing," he insisted. She rolled her eyes and turned back around. "Okay, okay, I get it."

He squirted some sunscreen into his hand and sat down behind Kaede. She closed her eyes once again, trying to focus on Shuichi's hopefully relaxing technique. A pair of hands soon caressed her shoulders, and the cold cream caused her to shiver. He traveled up and down her back at what felt like an agonizingly slow pace. She tried to steady her breathing and avoid letting out a gasp. It wasn't exactly a massage, but goodness, it felt so... so...

"Is that enough?" asked Shuichi, whose hands suddenly left her skin.

Kaede opened her eyes and hurriedly looked to him. "You're done already?!" she exclaimed louder than she meant to.

Shuichi pulled his head back at her startlingly high volume. "Uh, yeah. It was only your back."

Kaede let out a pout, then covered her mouth. Such an act may as well have broadcasted that she wanted him to keep touching her. She racked her brain for something to say, hoping to not afford him enough time to respond. "You're right, I still need to do the rest! Thanks, Shu!" Once again, she was too loud.

He merely laughed at her. "Okay, Kaede. Here you go."

Shuichi handed her the bottle of sunscreen, and she began applying it all over herself. She was glad that Shuichi didn't make a fuss at her outburst, though knowing him, he was fully aware of it and would probably tease her about it later.

"Greetings, mortals," came a familiar deep, sinister voice.

The four of them saw Gundham approaching them, with who Kaede recognized to be Sonia Nevermind walking beside him. He wore a pair of black swim trunks and had his entire upper body exposed, revealing a surprisingly well built figure, even more so than Shuichi. Kaede wondered why he chose to hide himself under such heavy garb when he had that going for him. His scarf was noticeably absent, having been replaced by a simple purple towel draped on one shoulder, exposing a long, slender neck. His pale skin had a sheen to it, likely due to his sunscreen, which there was such an ample amount of that it produced an overwhelming smell from his body. But there was one thing about him that made Kaede snort: one familiar black cap upon his head with the words " _ICE KING"_ on it. He seemed very much aware of the oddity what with his look of discomfort.

Kaede couldn't hold herself back any longer, letting loose like a howling hyena at the sight. "So you finally accepted your new title, then?" she spoke through tears, and all she heard was Gundham's audible growl.

"A curse upon those who mock the king!" said a fierce, though airy and angelic voice.

It was at this point that Kaede really took notice of Sonia Nevermind. She was slender and extremely pretty, with long silver-blonde hair cascading down her back, as majestic as a curtain swayed by a morning wind. Her bright blue eyes sparkled, and Kaede almost became entranced by them. However, her attire was so odd that it clashed with the passionate statement she had just made. From neck to toe she was covered in a black wetsuit with pink and white stripes running down it.

Kaede tried to find an appropriate response, but she kept stuttering. She couldn't tell if Sonia was already angry with her or if she was only messing around.

"Gundham, Sonia, it's great to see you," said Sakura, thankfully diverting their attention.

"Hey, Sonia!" Hina excitedly shouted as she tackled the princess in a hug. She examined her top to bottom. "Wow, you even wore that out here?"

"Of course! I can't possibly go in the water without it," replied Sonia in a soft tone, completely different from the one she'd used with Kaede.

Not wanting to just awkwardly standby while Sonia's interactions played out, Kaede approached the self-proclaimed overlord. "Hey, Gundham. Uh, are you sure it's okay to expose so much of yourself? What about your poisonous skin?"

He glared at her as if trying to read her intentions behind the question. "Hmph, my body has a protective coating around it that will last a few hours. Anyone who comes into contact with me during that time will be safe."

That was certainly a very _Gundham_ way of saying that he used sunscreen, but she expected no less from him. She pinched her nose, her face contorting in displeasure. "Though you used a lot of it," she squealed in a nasally tone. "Is your venomous aura that powerful?"

"Of course it is. I'm not called an Overlord for nothing. The power my body emits is far beyond what mere humans can handle, so this coating helps to suppress it."

Kaede smirked at him. She was getting used to his mannerisms, to the point where she could almost predict how he would respond to something. What once was a bother was becoming charming to her; she was learning how to work with it. However, she could barely take him seriously with that silly hat on his head.

Kaede gave a sideways glance towards Sonia. "Can you introduce me to her? I don't know if I, erm, upset her or something."

Gundham's laugh was a roar so intense that it grabbed everyone's attention, including any passersby. "My, how precious!"

Before Kaede could shush him, Sonia had come over. "What's so funny, Gundham?" she asked with a curious look.

"Kaede here believes that she offended you when she commented on the… _'crown'_ you acquired for me."

Sonia joined him in his laughing fit, but hers was much daintier compared to his raw animalism. Kaede felt embarrassed and glanced around at the onlookers. Sonia must've noticed because she quickly grabbed the pianist's shoulders and wrapped her in a light embrace.

"There is no need to feel that way," she spoke softly. "It's nice to finally meet you, Kaede. Gundham's told me so much about you."

So much was happening in that very moment that a wealth of thoughts engulfed her. First, she was afraid she'd immediately upset someone she'd just met; second, she wasn't expecting such an informal greeting from someone called the Ultimate Princess; and third, anything Gundham told Sonia about her would surely be less than ideal, in spite of them having gotten along lately.

"O-oh, he has?" asked Kaede hesitantly.

Sonia pulled away, her eyes now beaming. "Yes! You're the one who can play the music that will entrance the populace! It'll help us on our quest for world domination. Right, Gundham?"

Kaede's mind froze. Clearly Sonia was just as loony as he was. She knew they'd hung out a lot together and would naturally pick up on each others' mannerisms, but it was still a strange thing to hear in that moment, out loud, right in her face. It was enough to make her question her own reality.

"W-well, I'd be happy to oblige?" she replied, figuring it best to play along.

"You see? There are no hard feelings. The Dark Queen is forgiving," said Gundham. "Your decision is favorable, as we are now one step closer to complete and total conquest! The world will soon belong to us, and a new age of darkness shall reign!"

Gundham and Sonia posed side-by-side, and she giggled and rested her head on his shoulder. Kaede looked to Shuichi, who was equally as flabbergasted as she was, bewilderment plastered across his face at their shenanigans. She then turned to Hina and Sakura, who were snickering amongst themselves, definitely familiar with this blatant display, which shouldn't come as a surprise since Hina's friendship with Sonia would have opened that door long ago.

Kaede attempted a smile at the two of them. While Gundham's behavior was certainly strange on its own, when coupled with a cute and bubbly girl like Sonia, it was actually kind of endearing. It was their "thing", as it were.

Regardless, Kaede wanted to get the introductions over with and move on, so she grabbed Shuichi's arm and dragged him forward. "Shu, as you no doubt guessed, this is Gundham, one of my partners, and this is Sonia, his… _friend."_

Shuichi shook his head, snapping back to reality. "Oh, nice to meet you, Gundham. Kaede's told me a lot about you, too."

Gundham's expression faltered, and Kaede caught Shuichi winking at her. She chuckled and gently nudged him with her elbow.

"I overheard you saying that you have a protective coating," Shuichi continued, extending his hand forward. "Is it okay if I make contact?"

Gundham shook his hand without hesitation. "Of course it is. We're here for you, after all. It would be inappropriate of me to restrict a proper greeting."

Kaede squinted at him, her thoughts coming to a screeching halt. Did he just say—?

Shuichi appeared confused, apparently having the same thought. "... Wait, what? You're here for—"

Kaede leapt between them and frantically said, "Hey guys, why don't we go do something together?! No sense standing around here all day!"

Thankfully, Hina immediately responded, leaving no dead space. "Oh, I know what we can do! There's a water slide that can fit six people at once. What do you say we have a race?"

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" Kaede said as she clapped her hands together. She would've accepted any suggestion from anyone. Shuichi's attention was now on herself and Hina, so she wasted no time in ushering everyone along. With no objections from the rest of the group, they departed from their resting area and followed Hina across the park.

"Oh, whaddaya say we make it interesting, as well?!" said Hina, brimming with the thrill of competition. "Whoever comes in last place has to buy the winner the largest funnel cake in the park!"

"What?!" exclaimed Kaede. "Amusement park food is so expensive! And the _largest_ size, at that?"

Hina smiled at her. "Yep, that's what makes it extra punishing. But the reward is sooooo worth it." She was practically drooling already.

"There you go, thinking with your stomach again," said Sakura. "I bet you're confident that you'll win."

"Well, I am the Ultimate Swimming Pro." Hina stuck her tongue out at Sakura. "The water is my turf!"

"But water slides aren't the same as a relay race in a swimming pool," commented Shuichi. "Are you sure it'll be that easy?"

"Challenging me, eh?" replied Hina with a competitive grin. "Just you wait, that funnel cake will be all mine!" With a glide of her heel, she turned back around and resumed leading the group.

Kaede looked behind her and saw Gundham and Sonia bringing up the rear. They were walking side-by-side, her arm snaked through his and her head leaning against his shoulder. She found the sight adorable and had to keep herself from squealing. How long had they known each other for? If Sonia was this comfortable around him, why hadn't Gundham made a move yet? It should be obvious to anyone that she returned his affections.

As she walked beside Shuichi, she glanced downward at his swaying hand, tempted to keep it in place with her own. She steeled herself, not wanting to make a big move so soon by holding his hand. She wanted to wait until his birthday to be overtly obvious, so she held her head up and continued forward.

She opted to chat with Shuichi while they made their way across the park, taking in her surroundings along the way. They crossed a bridge over the lazy river and passed by an area for kids, a massive playground continually assaulted by geysers and a giant bucket overhead that occasionally dumped water onto the area.

After a few minutes, they finally arrived at their destination: a wide, six-lane slide, each lane its own color with a stream of water running down them. It was a beeline from the top to the bottom, with several humps along the way. At the very top was a large sign that read _"_ _SLIDE WARS"_. She heard the blow of a whistle, and a group of six teenagers went down, holding their arms up and screaming as they rode the curvature of the slide to the bottom. They splashed through the finish line and into a miniature pool. When they all swam out of it, they playfully nudged each other while laughing.

A wooden staircase wound its way up behind the slide. The line started just before the bottom step, and Kaede couldn't see the top from where they stood. They waited in line, moving forwards and upwards every once in a while.

"Hey Sonia, who are your partners for the project?" asked Kaede, wanting to break the silence she felt was coming.

"Oh, well…" Sonia started, certainly not expecting to talk about school on a day like this. She looked to Sakura and Hina. "From your year, it's Mondo—" she then turned to Kaede and Shuichi, "—and from yours, Kokichi."

Dread welled up within Kaede. She heard Shuichi sigh heavily.

"Oh geez, you're with Kokichi…" he moaned.

"I'm not surprised to hear you say that," remarked Sonia as she gazed skyward. "He's very hard to read. He keeps making these odd declarations but then says he was lying. I don't really know what to make of him."

"Yeah, he does that a lot," said Kaede. "I wish I could talk to him, but he always has a smart-aleck response to everything. I don't know if he can take anything seriously."

"I know, he's so strange! Interacting with him is frustrating!" huffed Sonia. Kaede eyed her curiously; _strange_ was not a word she felt Sonia should be using to complain about someone given her closeness with Gundham, who was no doubt the strangest person in the cosmos. "Mondo and I are at least able to get along. He looks like a big brute at first, but he's actually really sweet."

"Just like Sakura!" shouted Hina as she elbowed her best friend.

"Why do people keep dragging me into things?" Sakura whispered under her breath.

"Any ideas for your project?" asked Kaede.

Sonia scratched her chin. "Well, I'm a princess, Mondo is the head of a biker gang, and Kokichi is in charge of… some kind of group, I don't really remember. It didn't take long for us to realize that we're all leaders."

Kaede couldn't help but feel irritated at how unfair that was. Here she was struggling to find common ground with her partners while Sonia was paired up with people that shared her talent to some extent. While she wouldn't dream of being on the same team as Kokichi, they at least had a much easier starting point, for sure.

Shuichi chimed in. "While it's true that you're each important figures in your respective circles, I'd imagine your leadership qualities are vastly different. Leading a group of bikers is not the same as leading an entire country."

"Hmph, look at Mr. Smart Guy," chided Hina, crossing her arms. "He's all _'but you're different leaders, water slides aren't the same as swimming pools, myeh myeh myeh'."_

Shuichi rapidly blinked at her, momentarily speechless. "B… but, they _are_ different."

Kaede pounced on this opportunity, gently rubbing her shoulder to his. "Don't listen to her, Shu. You're absolutely right." She smiled and winked at him, and he blushed. He had to clear his throat to regain his composure, and she congratulated herself on her charm.

"Th-thanks, Kaede. So what do you think, Sonia?"

"Your deduction is correct, Mr. Smart Guy!" Sonia said, her tone innocent and friendly, unlike Hina's. "We talked about the finer details of our roles, and I even told them what I would do if I were queen of Novoselic. But the way we think is very different. For instance, Kokichi said he would make April Fools Day an officially recognized holiday if he were in charge of my country."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Kaede sighed, ascending the stairs as the line slowly moved forward. "Did you guys come up with something, yet?"

"Not yet," Sonia replied. "It's been difficult to regularly see them because they each have responsibilities within their groups. I'm only a princess, and I'm not even home, so I don't have much to do." Then she beamed. "But Gundham's been kind enough to keep me company!"

She latched onto his arm once again, and Gundham didn't so much as flinch. He may have said that the sunscreen was what allowed others to touch him without consequence, but Kaede knew he wouldn't object to Sonia's endearments even without it. Sadly, she was becoming frustrated with their cute affections, not just because neither of them had yet to make a move, but also because it served as a reminder of her own pent up feelings for Shuichi.

"Hmph, those fools," Gundham scoffed as he peered towards the slide. "They fail to realize that Sonia is only using them to gain information about their inner workings. Once we leave the academy, she will use that knowledge to rule over their hordes and form an unstoppable army!" Sonia snickered at his bold declaration, as did Kaede, but only because he looked ridiculous proclaiming it in his silly _"_ _ICE KING"_ hat.

"Sonia, since you're still here over the break," said Kaede, "why don't you spend time with your partners while they're leading their own groups? Wouldn't that give you a better idea of what they do rather than just hearing about it from them?"

Sonia perked up at the suggestion and leaned in closer to Kaede. "Oh wow, that's a wond—"

"Absolutely not!" Gundham interrupted, thrusting his arm in front of Sonia defensively. "You dare to put Sonia in such danger?! The imp is one thing, but this Mondo is involved in a biker gang! Who knows what trouble they'll cause?!"

"Gundham, I'll be fine. I can make that decision on my own." There was harshness in her tone, her features sharpening only for a moment before she looked back to Kaede and resumed her pleasant demeanor. "That may be a good idea, after all. It would allow me to see what Kokichi and his friends actually do, because he's been vague about it." She suddenly reached out and sandwiched Kaede's hand between her own. "Thank you for the suggestion!"

She couldn't help but lose herself in Sonia's bewitching eyes. They sparkled and shimmered like sapphires in a sun-kissed ocean. Her dream of world conquest could've been fulfilled by her gaze alone.

"O-oh, you're w-welcome, Sonia," she stuttered, finally becoming aware of her hand clenched between the princess' delicate fingers. She wasn't expecting to impress a member of royalty by such a simple suggestion.

Kaede had to scream at herself for continuing to view Sonia in such a way. Outside of her country, she was just a regular girl, in the same boat as everyone else at Hope's Peak. As she had told Gundham at the mall, _"she's a student, same as you and me."_

"Definitely an interesting pairing," mused Shuichi as they continued their way up the wooden staircase. "What about you, Hina? Who are your partners?"

"Eh? Me?" muttered Hina, suddenly put on the spot. She scratched her cheek with her finger. "Well, I'm with Gonta from your class—"

"Oh, I love Gonta!" Kaede exclaimed, cupping her cheeks with her hands. "He's so sweet!"

"I know, isn't he?!" replied Hina with equal enthusiasm. "I don't think I've ever met someone that kind before. He's, like, more considerate than, I don't know, the second-most considerate person I've ever met!"

"Please don't ever write a book, Hina," mocked Sakura. The swimmer replied by sticking out her tongue.

"And what about his bugs?" asked Shuichi.

A veil of horror overtook Hina, her face sagging. "Aw, why'd you have to bring that up?! I was trying to forget about that! God, I don't know how he can like those things! They're so icky!" She held her arms up squeamishly and puffed her cheeks out.

"So the swimmer fears the minions of the earth?" said Gundham. "It's a shame you fail to recognize the value of all lifeforms on this planet."

"Hey, I can recognize things!" she retorted poorly. "But bugs are just _blegh!_ Why do you care, anyway? Aren't you all about animals?"

Gundham furrowed his brow and pointed to Hina. "Now listen here, mortal, all life is precious! I may tend to the care of animals, but insects are also valuable in the delicate balance. I applaud this Gonta for stepping onto the battlefield. Perhaps he'd make a fine addition to my circle."

Kaede rolled her eyes, certain that he just declared in his special _Gundham_ way that he wanted to befriend Gonta. She was curious as to how that interaction would play out, as the entomologist had a habit of taking things literally, and thus would probably be very confused by Gundham's outlandish statements.

"A-anyway, my other partner is Mikan," Hina continued through pursed lips. "She's the Ultimate Nurse, so she's good to have around in case I have an accident in the pool, or when I'm sparring with Sakura!"

The martial artist laughed at the mention of her name, placing her hand upon Hina's shoulder. "Yes, there have been times when I was too rough with her, so Mikan's presence was quite welcome. She's even treated me when I get too reckless with my own personal training."

"Wow, having a nurse is really good in almost any situation, huh?" said Kaede as they climbed a few more stairs.

Hina nodded. "It is, but… well, she's also scared of Gonta's bugs."

Kaede drooped her head and exhaled heavily. "Yeah, I had a feeling about that. It's a hard obstacle to overcome. They still creep me out. But did you guys come up with anything together?" she asked, intentionally changing the subject.

Hina crossed her arms and scrunched her face, appearing deep in thought. "Well, I think we're onto something. Mikan asked Gonta how to heal bugs, if that was possible. She thought maybe her nursing skills could apply to more than just humans."

"She possesses the craft for antidotes and is willing to learn about other species?" spoke Gundham. "She would be useful to have out in the wild. I've encountered many animals with less than ideal physical conditions. Hmmmmm…" He closed his eyes and stood motionless as he mused.

"Yeah, it's not something I ever considered," continued Hina. "I also asked him what kind of bugs could swim, but…" She shivered. "... that just lead to a lot of pictures of things I didn't wanna see!"

"I'm sure you guys will have a great idea," said Shuichi. "Keep communicating with your partners, and something will click."

Kaede, Sakura, and Gundham all looked to each other in that moment. Their smiles were ever so fragile, but their eye contact lingered. It was enough to please Kaede, to reassure her that their comfort with each other was blooming, that a deeper friendship between the three of them was indeed possible.

"Oh hey, we're finally here!" exclaimed Kaede as they reached the top of the staircase. She bounded to the left-most slide, which was colored red, and Sonia took the one next to her, which was orange. She had a beautiful view of the park from where she stood; while it wasn't the highest vantage point, they were still above the trees and thus she could see the entire children's area with kids running frantically through it, a large chunk of the lazy river and its drifting inhabitants, and if she looked hard enough, even their twin sun loungers beside the wave pool. The only thing ruining the view was the clouds—dark ones in the distance were hovering ominously ever closer.

Casting aside her dread for the incoming gloom, Kaede grasped the bar above her slide, ready to propel herself down when the moment came. She waited in anticipation, jokingly praying to Atua to not come in last. A fully sized funnel cake would be an unwanted expense for sure. When she finally heard the attendant blow their whistle, she flung herself forward, careening down the watery trail at high octane speeds. Her butt and back were planted on the plastic surface while her arms and legs flailed above her. She screamed as the wind assaulted her face and gravity pulled her forwards and downwards.

The race was over as soon as it started. Kaede slammed into the miniature pool at the bottom, flipping over and feeling the water shoot up her nostrils. She recalled hearing at least one splash after she entered, hoping it meant that she didn't finish last. At no point did she look at her competition, so she had no idea what the results were, but she was positive that she didn't win. She felt a brief moment of sadness—as much as she complained about the expensive food, a funnel cake on someone else's dime would've been nice.

When they made their way out of the pool, Kaede asked, "So do we know who won?"

"It was Sakura," stated Shuichi. Her eyes drank him in as he patted down his wet body.

"Hmm, interesting," said Sakura, sporting a sly smile. She sounded as if she knew beforehand of her assured victory. "And who, pray tell, came in last?"

"That would be me," said Sonia with a defeated expression. "I saw the rest of you reach the pool before me."

"Man, I can't believe I didn't win!" shouted Hina, stomping her foot on the ground, causing a tiny splash to jump up. "I didn't even come close!"

"Was anyone paying attention to who came in what place?" asked Kaede.

"I was," replied Shuichi, and he began pointing to everyone in turn. "It was Sakura, then Gundham, then somewhere in the middle was myself, Kaede, and Hina, and finally Sonia."

"Hmph, so the so-called 'Empress of the Sea' performed poorly in this battle?" Gundham sneered as he shook his hat free of water, his hair resembling the looming clouds overhead. "Disappointing considering your boastful attitude earlier."

"Darn it!" shouted Hina again, raising her fists and throwing them to her sides in a fury. "How did this happen?!"

"I had a feeling that Sakura would win," said Shuichi. "That's why I asked if you were truly confident in your victory, Hina."

"What?! You knew how the race would end before it even happened?!" She stomped again.

"I think I can explain it, actually," he claimed. All eyes then turned to him, but he didn't seem to notice as he lowered his head and stroked his chin. "Sakura is the largest one here—no offense—so she would have the fastest momentum, especially after throwing herself down the slide like that. Gundham came next likely due to the high volume of sunscreen on his body. I don't know the exact science behind it, but sunscreen makes you slippery, so that might be why."

Kaede spied Gundham's triumphant smirk. He was awfully proud of himself despite not winning.

Shuichi continued, "Sonia definitely came in last due to her wetsuit. The fabric probably clung to the slide, thus making her go a little slower than everyone else." He raised his head and saw everyone staring at him, his seriousness wavering into embarrassment. "Um, what?"

Kaede ran up to him and clung to his arm, as Sonia had earlier embraced Gundham. "Isn't he amazing?! He was able to put all of that together so quickly! Is he an Ultimate Detective or what?!" She casually rubbed his bicep, feeling his faint bulges of muscle.

"That is truly impressive, Shuichi," said Sakura in her pleasantly calm tone. "You really do live up to your title."

Shuichi awkwardly scratched the back of his head with his free hand. "O-oh, it was nothing."

"Don't sell yourself short, dear," responded Sakura. "Gundham seems taken with your words, which is no easy feat."

"R-really, anyone of you could've done it," sputtered Shuichi, clearly not used to being the center of attention.

"Well, I suppose there is truth in that," said Sakura. "Kaede has managed to give her own thoughtful deductions before. It's clear how you've influenced her."

Kaede froze in place, her eyes blinking rapidly, her mind slowly crossing the finish line to reach what Sakura had just said. Did she just draw attention to how much time she spent with Shuichi? It wasn't much of a secret, but she was still trying to avoid shining a spotlight on it.

"Oh, really?" she heard Shuichi say. He narrowed his eyes at her and cocked an eyebrow. "Deductions, huh?"

Kaede fumbled, loosening her grip on his arm. "Um, i-it's nothing, really. Nothing special at all."

"If it's nothing special, then why are you blushing?" asked Hina.

Kaede's hands went up defensively. "I-I'm _not_ blushing, it's just…" Her eyes darted back and forth, her brain scrambling for something to say. "It's just that, uh…" She needed to change the subject fast, and the first thing that came to mind was—"Shuichi does martial arts!"

There was a dead silence between them, filled only by the chatter of nearby people and the screams and splashes of the next group that went down the slide. Everyone understandably looked confused, including Kaede. She had no idea how to proceed now that she had brought up such a random topic.

"Um, why did you say that, Kaede?" asked Shuichi, eyeing her skeptically.

"Because…" She needed to say anything. It needn't be complicated. "Because it's awesome! If we're talking about influences, then we can't forget to mention how Sakura's clearly influenced you, too!"

"But I only met her today," said Shuichi. "How could she have influenced me?"

Kaede waved her hand dismissively at him. "That's not the point, Shu! The point is that it's so cool that you do that!" She faced Sakura and tried to keep the momentum going. "Yeah, I caught him practicing yesterday. He said it's because Sherlock Holmes does it. Isn't he such a dork?!"

Gundham stepped forward. "Really, so the 'Master of Intellect' also fancies himself a fighter?" He laughed mockingly and took a combat stance. "Perhaps he's ready to enter the battlefield to prove his mettle."

"Gundham, don't tease him," chided Sakura, stepping in front of him and cutting him off. "That's intriguing, Shuichi. I never would've figured you for martial arts. May I ask specifically what you practice?"

"Um, w-wing chun," he said shyly, raising his hand to partially cover his coloring face. "I don't know that much, though—" he leaned to the side to bring Gundham into view. "—and I don't plan on entering any competitions."

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, dear." Sakura placed her hand upon his shoulder, her weight pushing him down slightly. "You're allowed to have your own personal reasons for learning something. I'm well-versed in wing chun. If you're interested, perhaps I can teach you."

Hina clapped her hands together excitedly. "Yeah, you can join me and Sakura during our training regimes!"

Shuichi perked up. "Well, I suppose that would be fine. It wouldn't hurt to know more."

Kaede was relieved that everyone was distracted by her shift in topic, though she was annoyed at the meager amount of teasing Shuichi had received about it. Wanting to continue staying off of that topic, however, she interjected, "Well, now that the race is over, I guess Sonia owes Sakura some funnel cake."

Sakura shook her head. "No, thank you. I shouldn't indulge in such a sugary treat. I bequeath my prize onto Gundham, the runner-up."

Gundham cackled in response. "So it seems the Overlord of Ice emerges on top, after all!"

"You mean 'Ice King'," deadpanned Kaede.

He scowled at her as he plopped the hat back onto his head. "Is this to your agreement, Sonia?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Of course! I would love to buy you funnel cake, Gundham!"

"Why don't we all break for lunch, then?" asked Shuichi. "I'm getting kind of hungry."

"You don't gotta tell me twice!" chirped Hina as she raised her fist into the air. "I'm always ready for food!"

The vendors were located on the other side of the park, near their sun loungers, so they began their stroll back to that area. Kaede hung towards the rear of the group. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Shuichi beside her.

"I know you were trying to change the topic back there," he spoke quietly. "Don't think you're getting away with throwing me under the bus like that."

Kaede looked forward and feigned ignorance. "Uhhh, whaddya mean?"

"Don't play dumb or I'll tickle you again." He gently pinched her waist between his fingers, resulting in a muffled yelp from the pianist. "Just for that, I'm cashing in the free lunch you owe me."

Kaede's face fell, her walking speed slowing. "What?! Here?!"

Shuichi nodded. "I told you I was gonna make it expensive. And no skipping out on the drink, either."

Kaede held her hands together and put on the best pleading face she could muster. "Please, can we postpone it, Shu?" He shook his head, showing absolutely no sympathy towards her. "C-can we at least share it?"

"Nope, you're on your own." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Kaede's shoulders slumped. "Damn you, Shu. Alright, then." She sighed dramatically.

"Come on, shouldn't you have _deduced_ this outcome, Ms. Detective?" he teased. "Besides, I shouldn't have to pay for my meal today, anyway. Apparently everyone's here for _me_ , right?"

Her heart skipped a beat, her eyes bulging with fright. For a brief moment, she felt all of her plans collapsing inward, her fear of his rejection taking center stage. Surely he would have more to say about it, something for her to dread—but all he did was wink and then he sped up to the front of the group to converse with Sakura.

Kaede glared daggers at Gundham, who was walking just in front of her. She quickened her pace and slapped his arm, causing him to wince.

"What was that for?!" he cried indignantly.

She held onto his arm, keeping him in place until they were a fair distance behind everyone else. "I can't believe you said that!" She released him and continued walking.

Gundham eyed her curiously. "And what exactly do you speak of?"

"You told Shuichi that we were here for _him_ , you dolt!" she huffed and covered her chest. "I was trying to maintain _some_ subtlety, but you pretty much broadcasted it straight to him!"

"Hmph, I thought you wanted to make your intentions clear to him." He sounded apathetic to her plight. "If I made it obvious, then that makes your job easier, doesn't it?"

Kaede was wound up, though she managed to keep her voice down. "That's not how it works! How would you like it if I told Sonia about _your_ feelings, huh?!"

Gundham stammered, nearly tripping over himself as he walked. "Y-you wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, I _so_ would!" She clenched her fists and slammed them into her thighs. "Here I am struggling with my future boyfriend while you're fumbling around someone who clings to you at every moment! Do you have any idea how badly I want that kind of attention from Shuichi?! Make a move, already!"

"Do not claim to understand Sonia's mind and heart, mortal! If she does not reciprocate my intentions, then all hell could break loose, and not in the way I prefer!"

Kaede felt a droplet land on her face, briefly ripping her from her anger. There was another droplet, then a few more, before she was assaulted by a light rainfall. She looked up and saw that the dark clouds had poured in thick, directly above the park. When she looked back down at Gundham, she was met with his irate stare, his eyes like a drop of blood and charcoal amidst a raging rapid. He showed as much concern for the sudden shift in weather as would a statue, his focus entirely on her. Not caring about the water pelting her body, Kaede took a deep breath and used this chance to calm down and collect her thoughts. She noted that Gundham had called her "mortal" again, likely a result of losing his cool due to her pressurings. Not wanting another fight with him, she decided on a different approach.

"Look, I'm just saying that you need to take a chance if you want to be with her." She saw the harsh lines on his face smoothing over, his eyes now casting a worrisome look. "Sakura's encouraging us to go for it, and I think you should do it today."

"Why just me? Why not you, too?" he asked softly.

She shook her head. "I have plans for Shuichi on his birthday. If he rejects me today, he might not want the gifts I'm getting for him. It's better for me to wait." He seemed unsure of her words, like they were nothing more than an excuse. "But you, Gundham, you've known Sonia for two years, and you're not waiting for any specific moment, so just make it happen today." She held her hand out, letting the raindrops hit her wet palm. "This weather is actually perfect for you. You're all about the dark and depressing atmosphere, right? She's about to buy you funnel cake, so find a dry place to sit, huddle closely with her, and tell her how you feel."

A light mist began to form around them, the growing doubt on Gundham's face mirroring it. "Very well, Kaede," he said. "I shall make an attempt today." He held out his hand towards her. "But you and I must make a pact. If I talk to Sonia today, you must vow that you'll also confront Shuichi about your feelings when you're ready."

Kaede wasn't expecting such a gesture from Gundham. If he was willing to make contact with her, sunscreen aside, he must have been serious. She grasped his hand and shook it firmly. "You've got a deal. If you confess to Sonia today, I'll confess to Shuichi on his birthday." She looked ahead on their path, no longer seeing any sign of their friends due to the mist. "Come on, we've gotten behind. Hopefully we can still catch up to them."

They made their way back to their resting area, finding their four companions sitting on the sun loungers. Their drenched towels had been moved to the table in between, underneath the umbrella to escape further exposure to the rain. Kaede and Gundham brushed aside all questions related to why they had lagged behind and kept everyone focused on food.

Kaede and Shuichi paired off together and went to a nearby vendor. Their wait in line was painfully long as most of the park attendees had also decided to leave the water and grab a bite. To make matters worse, when they finally got to the front of the line and placed their order, her stomach turned when she was forced to hand over twice the payment for the two upcharged meals. Shuichi's constant snickering throughout the ordeal didn't help.

After they'd left the kiosk, two plates of gyudon and rice and two sodas in hand, Kaede nudged Shuichi's side. "Hey, so I told Gundham to confess his feelings to Sonia right now. Let's go find them and listen in."

"Uhh, you sure about that, Kaede?" said Shuichi. "That sounds like an invasion of their privacy."

Kaede rolled her eyes at him and took in the delicious scent of her food. "Nah, it's fine. I'm the one who told him to do it, so I should know how it plays out." When his look didn't soften, she added, "Think of it like detective work. We're gathering clues. You should be on board with that."

"You are such a brat, you know that?" he said somewhat jovially. "You're incorrigible… but I guess I kind of like that about you."

"Aww, you like me, Shu?" she responded teasingly.

"Of course. Who wouldn't like you?"

She stared at him, trying her best not to read too deeply into his words and playing it off as casually as she could. She needed to stay focused. She quickly spotted Gundham and Sonia exiting a kiosk in the distance, an easy enough feat given how Sonia's wetsuit stood out like a bullseye. She was holding a tray with a large, towering funnel cake on it, and he was holding his black towel above their heads to shield them from the rain, likely doing little good as it was thoroughly soaked. They walked off together, and Kaede and Shuichi trailed them, doing their best, though not great enough, to cover their own food as they went.

They saw Gundham and Sonia rush to a nearby table that was covered by a large umbrella, beating out some other displeased customers who were apparently in competition for it. Thankfully it was on the very edge of the dining area, right next to a convenient row of bushes. Kaede and Shuichi took a route that prevented Gundham and Sonia from seeing them, and slipped as quietly as they could behind the bushes, underneath a tree that now protected them from the rain. When they peered over the wet hedges, Kaede saw their backs, the two of them sitting closely together, the funnel cake between them like a small, glowing, snowy mountain.

"You think he'll be able to do this?" asked Shuichi softly, as he shifted continuously to get comfortable on the rough ground.

"I really hope so," replied Kaede even softer, placing her soda down and taking a bite of her slightly wettened gyudon. "Despite my reservations about him, I do want him to be happy."

"Should we make another bet on the outcome?" he asked with a chuckle.

Kaede glared at him. "Nuh-uh! I'm not risking that again." She took another bite.

"So you're saying you don't have much confidence in Gundham?"

Kaede hesitated, swallowing her food after a moment. "W-well, it's not that, it's just…" She clicked her chopsticks together a few times. "... Okay, maybe I don't. He's not the romantic type."

"I think you should give him more credit," said Shuichi as he peeked over the bushes at Gundham and Sonia. "He looks pretty nervous right now, so he's likely taking it seriously. I don't think it was ever far off his mind."

Kaede nodded and looked back to the duo. She saw Sonia break off a piece of funnel cake and offer it to Gundham, the most innocent smile upon her. She couldn't believe that Sonia really didn't know what was about to happen, that in just a few minutes from now her view of Gundham would change, hopefully for the better.

"You won, so you get the first bite!" Kaede heard Sonia say with excitement, holding the sweet treat up to Gundham's face. Thankfully the rain wasn't loud enough to drown out their voices, likely they were talking louder to compensate for the constant pitter-patter around them.

"Very well, Sonia," Gundham muttered. He considered the funnel cake for a moment, slowly moving his face towards it, before instead grabbing it with his hand and popping it into his mouth. "Thank you."

Kaede frowned at this. "Darn it, why didn't he eat it out of her hand? That would've been so cute!"

Sonia broke off another piece and ate it herself. "Thank you for inviting me here today! I've had so much fun meeting your friends!"

"I suppose it has been relatively pleasant," he replied, sticking his hand out from the umbrella's protection, letting the rain hit him. "The weather has only improved. The skies cry out for my destiny!"

Kaede shook her head. "God, I can't believe he talks like this even behind closed doors. Who's he trying to impress right now?"

Shuichi raised an eyebrow and took another bite of his lunch. "Um, Sonia, isn't he?" he said between chews, sounding so uncultured.

"That's not what I meant!" Kaede retorted. "They already seem to be on the same wavelength, so what's the point of the fancy overlord stuff when they're alone? Just talk like normal people and get to the point, already!"

"You're awfully pushy right now," said Shuichi. "Why is it so important to you that he makes a move?"

She paused and sipped her drink while she thought of how to respond. She needed to choose her words carefully, making sure not to so much as hint at her pact with Gundham. "Because he told me that he likes her, so I gave him some encouragement. I really want him to succeed."

He eyed her suspiciously, his chewing slowing considerably. "Uh-huh. And that's it? That's quite... altruistic of you."

She smirked, finding that response especially easy to brush away. "What, I can't do things for my friends just because? If I did something nice for you, would you assume it's for personal gain?"

He nudged her playfully. "I'd have my suspicions. You're not exactly straightforward, Kaede. There's usually another layer to your thinking."

Kaede was taken aback, not sure of what to make of that statement. It sounded like a compliment, but he said it with such earnest that he could have meant it as a character flaw. "I... I just…" She was afraid that anymore prodding would only serve to trip her up. She needed to be curt with him. "Look, Shu, can we focus on them, please? This isn't about me."

He appeared downcast, greatly pronounced by the sight and sound of the showers just beyond them. "Sure, sorry about that."

Her heart sank. "N-no, Shu, I'm sorry for—"

Suddenly, the rain became heavier and louder, and droplets began to fall between the leaves and on top of them. Kaede shivered and squirmed as a few ran down her spine, feeling like pins of ice on her skin. She instinctively moved towards Shuichi, pressing herself against his wet body, the warmth emanating from him bringing her comfort. She dared not look him in the eyes, fearing she would only find rejection within them, but she was pleasantly surprised when he leaned into her and she felt his head resting atop hers. She sighed in relief and adjusted herself to get more comfortable within their snuggle. Perhaps the rain wasn't so bad after all.

Over the hedge, she noticed that Gundham and Sonia had scooched closer to each other as well, despite the table's umbrella already providing protection. Their hips were touching on the seat. Gundham's face, whenever he looked at the princess and Kaede could see it, was one of dread and embarrassment, as if the weather was also pressuring him to get on with it.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "Erm, Sonia, there's something I need to tell you." Kaede lifted her head in interest, finally hearing what was hopefully the start of what she'd been wanting for him to say.

"Hmm, what is it?" the seemingly oblivious princess asked through tiny chews of the funnel cake, her eyes focusing on him with no sense of anything odd about to take place.

Gundham took a deep breath, removing his wet hat and placing it on the table. "Well, err…" He scratched the back of his head. Kaede felt for him now. Confessing your feelings to your best friend was definitely not an easy task. "We're in our final year at this academy. Soon we'll move on to whatever our hearts' desires. I'll venture elsewhere to be with the animals that need me, and you'll likely... return home."

Sonia giggled and playfully swatted his arm. "So you're abandoning our dreams of world domination? I thought we made a pact." Kaede felt exasperated upon hearing this. _Of course_ he'd also made a pact with Sonia, because why wouldn't he? It was Gundham.

"O-of course not!" Gundham bellowed, trying to show sincerity in his face. "This world will bow at our feet! You and I shall stand at the top!" His expression fell, his enthusiasm departing. "But… our proximity will be cut. We'll no longer be so close together to formulate our strategy."

Sonia eyed him sympathetically and rested her hand upon his thigh. "I'll miss you too after we graduate. Maybe we'll go our separate ways, but even if we may not see each other as much, it doesn't mean that _this—"_ she motioned between them "—needs to end."

Gundham stared into her eyes, the most earnest look Kaede had ever seen upon him. "S-Sonia, I… I'm going to be completely honest with you about, er, something. No tricks." He grasped the hand she had rested upon him. "This is difficult for me to say. I don't want us to be apart."

She looked genuinely astonished. Her eyes never left his. "Gundham…?"

"I don't mean to cause you dismay. It's just... we've been by each other's side for so long that my referral of you as my Dark Queen, erm... took on greater meaning." He brought his other hand down, sandwiching hers between his. Sheer terror overtook his features, his sweat becoming indistinguishable from the raindrops. If Kaede squinted, she could see him trembling. "Whatever happens after our time is up here, wherever we wind up going, I… I want our remaining moments together to be... to carry more meaning than before." His face began to glow red like a furnace. "Will you… rise to a higher plane of companionship with me, my queen?"

Kaede furrowed her brow and tilted her head. That was yet another very _Gundham_ way of phrasing something, spoken with all the charm and eloquence only he could muster; and frankly, she couldn't be too surprised. Shuichi however, not as accustomed to Gundham's eccentricities, was quite befuddled.

Sonia soon snapped out of her stupor, her face reddening equal to his. "Gundham, d-did you just ask me to become your g-girlfriend?"

He retched at the word, the veins in his throat protruding like thorns. "I do believe that's what it's called on this mortal plane," he said weakly.

Sonia's cheerful demeanor returned, her smile growing larger than ever before. "You're silly, you know that?" Her sparkling eyes softened, clinging to his vulnerable gaze, her other hand moving to the pile held between them. "I can't believe you're actually asking this of me. You're so brave, Gundham. I was too scared to say anything, but… I'm so happy!" She lunged forward and hugged him tightly. "I would love to be with you!"

Gundham appeared bewildered, his returning hug frail and distant. "You… you were scared? To say something to me? Have I wronged you, Sonia, to make you feel that way?"

"Oh, calm down, Gundham, it's nothing like that," she said while brushing his arms reassuringly. "You're my prince, and you've always been so sweet to me. But I was afraid that… maybe you didn't want that kind of relationship. You're uncomfortable with, well, showing affection."

He looked ashamed of himself, like he'd let her down. "W-well, that may be true," he stammered, "but I'm quite comfortable around you, Sonia."

"Yes, but that wasn't always the case," she said. "It took some time to get there. And also, I thought maybe you only made an exception for me because I'm a princess."

"Nonsense!" he suddenly shouted, his arms becoming unnecessarily animated. "I would never treat you differently because of your status! You've earned it because of who you are! You showed me that I can trust you, and that is why I became so comfortable with you. It had nothing to do with your position." It was the most passionate statement Kaede had ever heard from him, and she found herself impressed.

"I'm so glad to hear that, Gundham." She placed her hand over her heart and sighed in relief. "Whenever I expressed my feelings for you to my parents, they feared that you were only using me for my status."

"Blasphemy!" He slammed his fist on the table, startling Sonia and Kaede alike, and causing the funnel cake to bob. "To think they have so little faith in their own daughter that they assume anyone who wants your time is only after some perk. When we put our plans for world domination into motion, we'll start with your country. Your parents need to be taught a lesson."

"Now, now, Gundham, remember what you promised?" she said sternly. "We'll take the rest of the world, but we won't wage war on Novoselic. I refuse to subjugate my parents."

Kaede frowned at the return to their usual ridiculous banter. She had been on the edge of her seat, but now the moment was rapidly dying. Sure, Sonia agreed to be in a relationship with him, but she was hoping for more than that. The proper ingredients were present: the holding of hands, the staring into each others' eyes, and the tight embrace, but the mixture was missing the final and most important step: the kiss. They had already changed topics before finishing the recipe!

"Very well, I agree to maintain those terms," said Gundham, nervously scratching his neck. "So, erm, do you accept my courtship, my queen?"

Sonia smiled lovingly at him. "I do, my king." She grabbed his hat off the table and placed it atop his head, then leaned in and gave him a kiss on the lips. Finally, the moment Keade had been waiting for was taking place before her, a preview of what she hoped to experience with Shuichi in the coming weeks. The kiss was brief and Gundham seemed to struggle returning it, but it was enough to satisfy the eager pianist. "Thank you for always being by my side," said Sonia.

"I wish for that tradition to continue," said Gundham as he kissed the back of her hand, causing her to giggle. "Shall we enjoy our celebratory pastry?!"

"We shall!" She scooted next to him once more and rested her head upon his shoulder. They continued to tear into the funnel cake, laughing all the while, completely ignoring the heavy downpour around them.

Kaede and Shuichi leaned back against the trunk of the tree, lowering their heads until their view of the unsuspecting duo was swallowed up by the bushes. Their cuddle ceased, and their legs were being pelted with the stray raindrops that ventured through the leaves above. Kaede was struggling on what to make of the scene—on the one hand, Gundham did exactly as he said he would and confessed to Sonia, but on the other, it was far less romantic than she'd hoped, even though it made some sense due to his personality. She found it difficult to declare a verdict.

Shuichi spoke up, as if reading her thoughts. "As you said, they're on the same wavelength, so he probably didn't need a big display to get through to her. They've known each other for a few years, so they just 'get it', I suppose. It was still pretty odd, though."

"You thought so, too? It's not just me, then?" Kaede felt relieved. "And how it all ended… did they just unofficially get married? I mean, 'courtship', 'my queen', 'my king', and she even said 'I do'."

"Maybe they did?" guessed Shuichi. "You should ask him about it later." She looked at him apprehensively, to which he then said, "You said you encouraged him to do this, right? Just follow up with him about it."

"Oh yeah, derrr," she said as she stuck her tongue out, feeling silly. "I thought you were suggesting I admit we spied on them."

"Give me some credit, Kaede. I'm not _that_ dumb."

She covered her mouth to muffle a chuckle, but she soon stopped, her lips pursing, her mind succumbing to dread as she stared at the bushes before them. "Shu, just now you said they didn't need anything big to understand each other. They just 'got it'. Does that mean that the more elaborate something is, the less meaningful it is?"

Shuichi paused and considered her words, stroking his chin in his trademark fashion. "I don't think so, Kaede. It might just be specific to them. They're so over the top on a regular basis that a big display isn't necessary, at least for right now. Who knows, maybe they'll do something special somewhere down the line."

She smiled. "You sound so wise for someone who's never dated anyone before." She swallowed her nerves and leaned in closer to him, taking a gamble with what she was about to insinuate: "Maybe it's time you gained some experience in that field."

"Oh, yeah? And who would you recommend I date?" he asked lightheartedly.

The answer to that was so transparent, but of course she couldn't say so. "Someone you like, obviously. There's gotta be someone, right?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Sorry, don't know, Kaede."

"Yeah, right!" she shouted quietly. "Everyone has crushes! Don't act like there isn't someone on your mind."

"Can't tell you. My lips are sealed." He went back to eating his food, and his face was so cocky that she wanted to punch him.

"God, you're no fun at all," she exclaimed in a huff, her shoulders drooping. "You're acting just like Sakura, all prim and proper, and absolutely no sharing of secrets."

"Well, she and I both do martial arts, so I guess that just comes with the territory," he said as he snickered.

Kaede wouldn't let his dismissal get to her. There was no doubt in her mind that he knew exactly what she was driving at, that he was aware of her feelings towards him, and he was just having fun with her. She had to admit it was a little exciting to play around like this, so she decided to return the favor.

"Alright then, keep your secrets," she mused. "I, on the other hand, already know my ideal type."

This grabbed Shuichi's attention. He stopped chewing and eyed her curiously.

Now it was her turn to be cocky. She put on the brightest fake smile she could muster. "Yep, my ideal partner is handsome, has a dark and troubled past, a penchant for the mysterious, and is quite strong. Oh, and we can't forget the love for music."

She swore he stole a glance at his own arms when she said the word "strong". For a moment he seemed lost for words, the wheels turning in his head. She was pleased by his lack of response, but it was cut short when he suddenly said—

"I don't know about the music part, but the rest of it sounded like you were describing Gundham."

Kaede choked, not unlike how Gundham did so earlier, suddenly short for breath. She scrambled for her soda, chugging it through the straw and feeling the fizzy liquid clear out her throat. When she looked to Shuichi again, he had the most mischievous, self-satisfied grin she had ever seen on him.

"You think you're so clever, don't you?"

"I _am_ a detective," he said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Had she the nerve, she would have kissed him right there to shut him up. This damned guy was making fun of her and enjoying every minute of it. But Kaede would let him have his victory for now. She still had his birthday surprise under her belt, and not even _he_ would be able to imagine what she had in store for him.

They soon finished their lunches, showing two empty white plates covered in splotches of sauce and a few stray grains of rice. No longer tolerating the bark of the tree digging into their backs and the muddying ground engulfing their legs, they both began to pick themselves up into an uncomfortable squatting position.

"We probably shouldn't stay here any longer," said Kaede. "Let's go find Sakura and Hina."

With a nod from Shuichi, they began crawling away through the mud, making sure not to stand up until they were a good distance away from Gundham's and Sonia's table. She was pleased to finally declare a verdict on their excursion: a complete success. They had avoided detection, and she managed a playful back-and-forth with Shuichi, whose jabs at her expense came across in a friendly, if not loving manner. When they met back up with everyone else, Kaede pretended to be shocked at the sight of Gundham and Sonia holding hands, though she overplayed it a bit as evidenced by Gundham's suspicious squint at her. Hina's squeals of delight helped to draw his attention, as did Shuichi's and Sakura's polite congratulations.

By this point, the rain had stopped and the clouds parted ways to let in the first glimpse of sunlight. The park was no longer as crowded, as it seemed a lot of people had packed up and left after lunch instead of waiting out the downpour.

The six of them decided to go to the lazy river to unwind. Kaede and Shuichi drifted together on a double tube they had found floating by. They laid in their own loop with their heads next to each other at the center. Kaede heard the unintelligible chatter and splashing around of nearby families.

"So are you gonna start training with Sakura?" she asked Shuichi.

"I'm still thinking about it," he replied. "I have no reason to decline, but… it just seems weird, you know? A detective learning these extreme fighting moves?"

"But didn't you only learn them in the first place because Sherlock did?" said Kaede. "So it shouldn't be weird for you, right?"

A smile crept onto his lips. "You're right, I guess. I don't know why I'm having so much hesitation about it."

Kaede pondered, twiddling her thumbs on her belly. "Maybe it's because you're the Ultimate Detective, so learning something else would feel strange."

"Man, I hope not," said Shuichi, shaking his head. "Why should I be hesitant to learn something just because it's not detective-related?" He turned to face her. "I mean, you're a pianist, sure, but if you asked for some detective tips, I'd tell you."

Kaede giggled. "Really? You would?"

"Yeah. You're smart and you have good intuition. I think you'd actually make a great detective if you tried."

The heat returned to her cheeks, and she knew it wasn't from the newly shining sun. She pulled her hair down to cover her face. "Shuuuuuuuu…" Her heart felt like it was floating above her, lifting her spirits along with it. "Thanks. That means a lot to me." She puffed, causing her hair to jump up and fall back to the side. "Oh, and if you wanted to learn the piano, I'd gladly teach you, too!"

"I'll keep that in mind," he said with a chuckle. "I'll let you know when Holmes finally decides to take it up."

As they continued their journey down the lazy river, Kaede saw Hina and Sonia having a splash fight nearby, laughing and shrieking whenever they struck each other.

"You should train with Sakura," she said after a moment. "It would be pretty cool if you learned how to fight properly. You'd be able to take on any criminal who tries to elude you."

Shuichi snorted. "That's a good point. I hadn't considered that."

"And we can't forget the best part: I could watch you train with her!" She brought her hand up and lightly stroked the top of his head, his hair having dried considerably due to the sun.

"Really? _That's_ the best part?" he said, his face turning a rosy shade.

"Of course it is! You'd look so cool doing it!" Of course, she couldn't admit the real reason she wanted him to train: so he could one day get some delicious, bulging muscles across his body. She considered reaching up and squeezing his bicep, but she thought that it would be too forward, not to mention awkward given their positions.

"Alright, alright," he said. "How can I refuse after such great encouragement?"

Kaede retracted her hand from Shuichi's head and closed her eyes, yielding herself to the calming warmth of the sun and the refreshing spray that came with the breeze. She thought about Shuichi mimicking Sakura's movements, which was soon interrupted by an intrusive image of him having the exact same muscle mass as her and wearing her bikini and bottoms, which was so horrible that she almost gagged. She moved on to fantasizing about Shuichi teaching her some of his detective tricks. She wore a monocle and a deerstalker, blowing on a pipe that sprouted bubbles. She would point her finger and shout _"I got it!"_ as she cracked the case wide open and cornered the culprit. Her thoughts transitioned to teaching Shuichi some of her favorite songs on the piano. He would mess up a note, and she'd use that as an excuse to hold his hand and guide it to the proper key. He would become so good at it that he would one day compose his own melody and play it for her and sweep her off her feet—

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she bolted upright, the tube wriggling beneath her. Something clicked in her brain, the final puzzle piece falling into place, the path through the maze now plainly marked, what needed to be done all too clear in her mind.

"Are you okay?" asked Shuichi as he sat up, looking concerned.

"Amazing, actually," she responded, though with more contemplation than enthusiasm. "Shu, I need to talk with my partners. I'll meet up with you later."

He smiled at her encouragingly, and she gave him a wink in return. Full of bravado, she brought her limbs skyward and fell through the opening of the tube into the cool blue abyss. She waited a few seconds for Shuichi and the tube to drift past her before she emerged as gracefully as a mermaid. She pulled her hair out of her eyes and looked around, spotting Sakura and Gundham floating nearby.

"Hey, guys!" she bellowed as she swam up to them. "Group meeting, now! I have an idea!"

"Of course, Kaede," said Sakura. "Are you okay, though? You seem… frantic."

"I'm fine!" she replied, resuming her habit of being louder than intended. "I just need to tell you the idea before I forget even a little part of it."

Sonia appeared next to them and embraced Gundham. "Is everything okay?"

"Indeed," Gundham said with a cackle. "It seems our pianist would like to entertain us with a notion. I'll be taking my leave for now."

"Don't be too long, okay?" she said with puppy dog eyes, and he kissed her forehead in response. Satisfied, she swam over to Hina, who was now pestering Shuichi.

As soon as they came by the nearest staircase, the three of them departed the river and headed for a nearby bench. Sakura and Gundham took their seats while Kaede stood before them like a manager at a business meeting, ready to present everything that newly swelled her mind.

"Okay, I finally have an idea for our project, but before I can say what it is, I have to know something." She turned her focus to the newly declared king. "Gundham, when Sakura asked you to teach her about animals last year, why did you refuse?"

The dreaded winds of discomfort blew across them. Gundham appeared to be cursing himself for not bringing his scarf to hide his face, and Sakura's fists began to tense in her lap. Kaede's stern gaze upon Gundham never wavered.

Sakura broke the silence. "Kaede, please don't—"

She cut her off immediately. "I know you said it doesn't bother you anymore, Sakura, but I'm sure he has a reason and I want to hear it. My idea won't work, otherwise."

"I understand that, Kaede, but I'd prefer not to force the issue," Sakura protested. "Gundham, you don't need to answer that if you don't want to."

Kaede was astonished that Gundham had yet to speak up. His usual quick retorts of _"You foolish fiend!"_ and _"You fail to understand—"_ were nowhere to be found. Instead, he looked saddened, his head hung low in shame.

"I was nervous," he said quietly.

This caught even Sakura's attention. Her initial apprehension vanished and was replaced with curiosity.

"I-I'm sorry, what?" asked Kaede delicately, hoping not to agitate him.

"I…" Gundham crossed his arms and roughly rubbed his biceps with his hands. "I've never… taught anyone my skills before…" Kaede saw his fingernails begin to dig into his arms. "I didn't know if I could do it."

Kaede and Sakura gawked at each other, both in awe at what Gundham had just admitted to them. This was a man who was notorious for displacing blame, for insulting anyone who dared question him. And yet there he now sat, shrunken and exposed, admitting to an insecurity.

"You didn't think you could teach me? Is that all?" asked Sakura bluntly.

"What do you mean ' _all'?!"_ he said crossly, leaning away from her. "I'm the Ultimate Breeder! My job is to learn about and help animals! If I were to teach you and you failed, my skills would be called into question!"

Sakura's gaze softened, and she gently laid her hand upon his shoulder. "I understand, Gundham. I understand your fear of failure all too well. It's something that still haunts me." He looked at her unnerved, and she continued. "I'm the Ultimate Martial Artist, and I've fought in many competitions and won. Because of that, people have come to me seeking strength. I've taught some in the past, but that fear held me back from being the best teacher I could have been."

"Do you think you've failed before, Sakura?" asked Kaede.

"Yes, I do," she said, though without an ounce of regret. "I was new at teaching, so naturally I didn't fully understand how to do it. It was easy to know what lessons worked for me, but to tailor that to others was difficult. I'm sure I let some people down. When I met Kenshiro, he was a far better teacher than I, and through him I was able to improve. Now, well," Sakura smiled proudly, "I'm much better at it. I teach Hina regularly, as well as other students at the academy."

Hearing such an admission from her caught Kaede off guard. She considered Sakura to be the strongest, most patient person she knew, who kept herself together and possessed an unparalleled wealth of life experiences. She was easy to look up to, and not just because of her size, though that certainly helped—even sitting down on the bench, she was still just as tall as the standing Kaede. But it made sense that she only came across that way because of the hardships she had endured. Kaede remembered the days before she felt confident playing the piano in front of others, when stage fright overtook her and nearly crushed her obvious potential. It was a battle she needed to overcome, and while it proved a struggle, she remembered the strength and pride she felt when she finally did, and how she only grew from then on. "That's really cool, Sakura. I wish I had the courage to teach others, myself. I'm actually afraid to do it."

"What was the point of you asking me that, Kaede?" came Gundham's deathly serious tone.

"O-oh, right!" exclaimed Kaede, refocusing her thoughts. "Well, I was thinking about what Hina and Sonia were saying earlier, about how they asked their partners questions about their talents, and learning whatever they could from them. Then I thought back to Sakura's initial idea of us performing our talents for the school, and it hit me: we take that idea and go one step further with it. Let's swap talents."

It was Sakura's and Gundham's turn to gawk at each other. She tried not to let the puzzled stares of her upperclassmen get the best of her. Now was the time to stand tall.

"Look, the whole point of this project is for people of different backgrounds to come together and make something, right?" She paused and waited for their reactions, which came as simultaneous nods. "So why don't we show that we can learn another's talent? We teach each other our own talents, and we perform _that_ for the school! I'm sure we'll impress everyone if we can pull this off!"

"Hmm, there's merit in that idea," stated Sakura.

"So this is why you needed to know why I refused her?" said Gundham. "Now that you know the reason, what makes you think I'll change my mind about teaching another?"

Kaede stared at him, racking her brain for something clever to say, the magic formula that would tear down his feelings of inadequacy. But nothing surfaced, so instead she opted for the simple. "Because you have to, Gundham." He recoiled, no doubt from her straightforwardness. "Something tells me that we can't stay within our own bubble forever. We'll have to branch out and include others at some point. This is your final year here, Gundham, so it's your last chance to show what you're worth. You need to do it."

Sakura looked upon Kaede with pride and adoration, while Gundham still seemed unsure. But she wasn't finished. She had yet to present her final, conclusive point.

"It won't be for nothing, guys. We can benefit from this outside of the project, which is the best part!" Kaede looked to the lazy river, knowing that she wouldn't possibly see their friends coming about, but she needed to scratch that itch. "Sakura wants to interact with small animals, so she'd get a lot out of it if you taught her. She's calm and she'll listen, so she's the perfect first student for you." Kaede cracked her fingers, her optimism soaring, feeling like she was now the eldest and wisest of the group. "Gundham, Sonia's your… significant other, now. She's a princess and probably loves classical music. If I taught you how to play a song on the piano, don't you think that would impress her? Isn't that something you want to do?"

He tried to look away and seem annoyed, but even he couldn't mask the smile that crept about his lips. Clearly he would do anything to please his queen.

"And Sakura, since Shuichi also does martial arts, apparently, then you can teach me something. I'm sure I could wow him if I suddenly knew some moves, don't you think?"

Sakura lifted her head and guffawed louder than Kaede had ever heard before, slapping the armrest of the bench repeatedly. "Absolutely, Kaede! I think this is a great idea! I'm on board! What do you say, Gundham?"

"Hmph, to learn the ways of the piano and impress her that my heart desires?" He gave Kaede a grimace. "I accept your challenge, and I will crush it beneath my feet!" He stood up and stamped the ground with vigor. Then he frowned. "I will… do my best to impart my own wisdom…"

"Thank you, Gundham," said Sakura. "Thank you for being honest with me."

Gundham gritted his teeth and held his hands up. "Halt this instant! Let's not get too friendly! I told you I don't do well with that."

"Aww, is the Ice King beginning to melt?" Kaede said between snorts.

"Silence, mort—RRRGGGHHH!" He ripped his hat off and threw it on the ground furiously, then stomped off up the path. Kaede and Sakura couldn't hold back their laughter as he departed.

"That was a clever idea, Kaede. It would be nice to learn someone else's talent."

Kaede was pleased with herself. The progress she'd made with her partners over the last few days she once considered an impossibility only a week ago. "Thanks, Sakura. I love the piano, and I really wanna get over my fear and teach it to someone else. Oh, but I wanna learn another subject, too. Sometimes it's frustrating when it feels like the only thing I know is the piano, like I have nothing else going for me."

Sakura smiled reassuringly. "Now, now, you don't need to look at it like that. You're fully embracing what you're great at, and there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, look at me. I spend a great deal of time training everyday. Maintaining my physique and my status is hard work. Plus, I live in a dojo. Much of my life is spent surrounded by my talent, too."

Kaede smirked. "Look at us, right? I'm a piano freak, you bleed martial arts—"

"—and I'm sure Gundham lives in the zoo," said Sakura.

Kaede lost it, doubling over and clutching her stomach. "Yeah, you're probably right about that." She then bent over and picked up the discarded hat from off the ground. "Come on, let's go find him before he hibernates."

Sakura nodded and stood up, and the two of them ran off through the water park, chasing after him whose hair and attitude resembled the prior passing clouds.

* * *

 **Pinkie's Thoughts:** Oh god, this chapter took a _LONG_ time to write, everypony! It's over _TRIPLE_ the length of the first one! The mall and water park scenes, individually, are longer than the entire first chapter! I originally wanted another scene showing them practicing for the project at Kaede's house, but the chapter was long enough already and I didn't know how to make such a scene interesting.

For my research, I went to my local mall and Six Flags water park and studied their layouts. Much of the geometry in this chapter is based on those places. The "Dark Matter" store is literally just Hot Topic and Spencer's.

Kenshiro was originally going to be at the park instead of Hina, but I couldn't figure out his personality nor could I imagine his voice (since he lacks a voice actor). The part where Sakura's back is getting smacked with sunscreen was written for him, but I liked it enough that I kept it even when Hina took his place. Also, I chose wing chun for Shuichi because Sherlock Holmes used it in the 2009 movie starring Robert Downey Jr.

Finally, the reason why Hina, Mikan, and Gonta are partners is because, in my opinion, they're the ones who get freaked out the most in each game. They'll usually get shy or scared when anyone says anything even remotely lewd or unnerving.

Double finally, the _"Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts"_ shirt is real. I own it, and it's awesome.


End file.
